S'mores Brownies

Summertime in a brownie. Amazing gooey deliciousness, best served warm.

S'mores Brownies
Crust:
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups crushed graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons sugar
Pinch fine salt


Brownie:
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
4 large cold eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour


Topping:
4 cups large marshmallows, cut in half
Milk chocolate chips
broken graham cracker pieces



Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat oven to 325 degrees F. Line an 8 by-8-inch square baking pan with foil so it hangs over the edges by about 1 inch.

For the crust: Lightly butter the foil with some of the melted butter. Stir the rest of the butter together with the crumbs, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Press the crumb mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the brownie. Put the butter and chocolate in a medium microwave safe bowl. Melt in the microwave on 75 percent power for 2 minutes. Stir, and microwave again until completely melted, about 2 minutes more. Alternatively, put the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with 1 inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl on the pan without touching the water. Stir occasionally until melted. Stir the light brown and white sugars, vanilla and salt into the melted chocolate. Add the eggs and beat vigorously to make a thick and glossy batter. Add the flour and stir until just incorporated.

Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the top is crispy and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out mostly clean, with a few crumbs, about 40 to 45 minutes.

Remove from the oven and carefully position a rack about 6 inches from the broiler and preheat on low. Layer marshmallows across the top, sprinkle with chocolate chips and graham cracker pieces and toast under the broiler until golden, (keep an eye on it, it can go quick), about 2 minutes. Cool on a rack, gently removing the brownies from the pan using the aluminum flaps. Carefully separate any marshmallow from the foil and fold away. Cut into squares.

Recipe adapted from Food Network.

Ridiculous Giant Chocolate Chip Cookies

I am not kidding. These are ridiculous. So, so, so good. They remind me of Levain, which is a very good thing, if not for the taste, at least because they are very substantial cookies. They are huge and perfectly crispy on the outside while being chewy and gooey on the inside. They have tons of chocolate inside, which is a huge plus if you ask me. And that touch of salt on the top just adds that special something and brings out the flavors of the cookie. I am in LOVE with these!! They're amazing.

Ridiculous Giant Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 cups semisweet or milk chocolate chips
kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.

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

In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon. Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time onto the prepared cookie sheets (don't be tempted to make them smaller, they aren't as good (texture is compromised) and trust, you will want them big). Cookies should be about 3 inches apart.

Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. Sprinkle a pinch of sea salt or kosher salt on each cookie immediately after removing from oven. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Recipe from Amy Furstenau.

Ooey Gooey Peanut Butter Brownies

I tried to go on a "no sugar" diet for the month of November.

It didn't last very long.

I just really believe in enjoying food and tasting delicious things. And I think I should be allowed to have a brownie if I want. As long as I can stop at just one (or two? Let's be honest. Two).

So these are not the best treat to make for the kids at church when you're trying to refrain from eating more than just one... because they are incredible and it's pretty much impossible to stop tasting them. They are exactly as delicious as they look and sound. Make them, but make sure you have enough people to share them with. :)

Ooey Gooey Peanut Butter Brownies

3/4 C sweetened condensed milk, divided (fat-free is fine)
1/4 C butter, melted and cooled (1/2 stick)
1/4 C non-fat milk
1 box devil’s food cake mix (18.25 oz)
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
cooking spray
1 7 oz jar marshmallow creme (about 1 3/4 C)
1/2 C peanut butter morsels



Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

With an electric mixer, combine 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk, milk, butter, cake mix, and egg white. Mixture will be very thick. Spray 9×13 pan with cooking spray. Press 2/3 of the mixture into the bottom of the pan. Use either floured hands, or spray your hands with cooking spray in order to press it down without having it stick to your fingers. The layer will be thin. Bake for 10 minutes.

Combine 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk and marshmallow creme in a bowl and combine until smooth. Stir in PB morsels. No one will tell if you stir in some extras. Spread marshmallow layer over brownie layer in pan. Carefully drop remaining brownie batter by spoonfuls over marshmallow mixture. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes. (The original recipe calls for 30 minutes, but many readers have noted that 20 minutes was perfect, and I usually only bake for about 20-25). Remove from oven and cool before cutting into squares.

Recipe from Our Best Bites, originally from Cooking Light Magazine (imagine that!).

Peppermint Oreo Cookies

I was going to feel bad about the fact that it's been over a month since I posted. Then I remembered that I am not a professional food blogger, nor do I pretend to be, so I can post whenever and whatever I want! Ah, freedom. :)

Tonight I am taking these chocolate sandwich cookies to a holiday cookie exchange party. Yes, tonight. I have to leave in about 3 minutes. But they are seriously yummy and you should make them for YOUR holiday season too. I spiked the cream cheese frosting with just a few drops of peppermint extract. Oh yum.

A couple suggestions. I made them too big and too fluffy and they were difficult to eat. Next time I will use less dough for each cookie and flatten it out before baking. (These changes are included in the recipe below.) I might even leave out the chocolate chips to avoid lumps (there is a lot going on in these cookies, they don't necessarily need the added texture of chocolate chips). Also, I made these a day in advance and they were much more dry and hard by the second day, so make them the day you are serving them! They take a little time in frosting/rolling in candy, but they are worth it!

Peppermint Oreo Cookies

Cookies:
1 ¼ cup all purpose flour
½ cup dark cocoa powder (Hershey's Special Dark or Dutch process)
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ¼ cup semisweet or dark chocolate chips (optional)

12 peppermint candy canes, crushed

Frosting:
½ cup butter, softened
1 8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened
½ tsp vanilla
3 ½ cups confectioners sugar
a few drops peppermint extract

For the cookies:
Preheat oven to 350F. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Beat in egg, followed by vanilla extract. Gradually, with the mixer on low speed, blend in the flour mixture, stopping when no streaks of dry ingredients remain. Stir in chocolate chips (if using).

Place leveled tablespoons of dough, flattened, onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until cookies begin to crack on the top. Cool for 2 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the frosting:
Cream butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add vanilla and peppermint, blend. Add sugar, a cup at a time, blending well between each addition.

Pipe frosting (recipe below) onto flat side of one cookie, and top with a second cookie. Roll edges of each sandwich in crushed candy canes.

Makes about 18 cookie sandwiches.

Recipe from my talented friend Morgan.

May your days be merry and bright.

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever

I have a go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe from Klane's family which I can whip up from memory in about 15 minutes. It's like an old friend. I love those cookies. I have always loyally stood by that recipe as my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe of all time. It is really, really good.

But.

These cookies? There is just something about them. I am tempted to cheat on my old cookie recipe with these bad boys. In fact, ever since I met these cookies a month ago, I haven't seen my old cookies even once. And I've made these new ones, oh... five times. When I first tried these I was floored by how good they were. They were soft, chewy and kind of fluffy. The first time I tried them, there was something unique about them that I couldn't quite put my finger on. They're incredible! I just might have a new favorite chocolate chip cookie. Just don't tell my old recipe. I don't want any hurt feelings.

Now, I have been known to cut corners and use substitutions on recipes. But you have to follow this one exactly in order for them to turn out so delightfully perfect. No substituting dark brown sugar for light, or semi-sweet chips for milk, or mixing things for a shorter time than called for. Follow the recipe exactly! They are amazing and addicting and you will be hooked.

Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 heaping cup of non-instant oatmeal
1 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or a handheld mixer, cream butter and sugar together for 3 full minutes, until mixture becomes light and fluffy. Mix in eggs and vanilla until combined. Put the oatmeal in a blender or food processor and pulse a few times. You're not making oat flour, you still want pieces of oats left. You just want most of the oat flakes broken up. Combine oats with dry ingredients in separate bowl. Beat dry ingredients into creamed mixture a third at a time with a wooden spoon. Stir in chips. Bake at 350 degrees for 9 to 10 mins. Take out a little early and let bake for a few minutes on pan before moving to a wire rack.

Recipe from a nice girl named Ashley Laidlaw.

Levain Bakery Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

Levain Bakery is a tiny cookie shop on the Upper West Side here in New York. They are famous for having the best chocolate chip cookies in NYC. Their cookies are gigantic and packed with chocolate chips and nuts, and they're served warm, soft and chewy. Levain also has a chocolate cookie with peanut butter chips. It is divine. Here is my copycat... also divine.

Levain Bakery Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

2 sticks softened unsalted butter
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup good cocoa powder
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 to 1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks
2 cups peanut butter chips

Preheat oven to 350. In medium bowl, cream butter and sugar for a couple minutes until well blended and fluffy. Add eggs and beat until well-incorporated, then beat in cocoa powder. Mix in flour, salt and baking powder until just combined. Gently fold in remaining ingredients. Stir well with wooden spoon to mix.

Divide into 12 equal portions, about 4 oz each. These are GIANT cookies. Bake 16-20 minutes depending on how gooey you like the middles, taking care not to overbake. I made smaller, more regular sized cookies, and baked for 8-10 minutes instead.

Let cool on a rack and store what you don’t immediately eat, in an airtight container. To freshen them after a few days (if they last that long), give them a quick nuke in the microwave for 5-10 seconds.

Recipe adapted from a recipe found here.

Emergency Chocolate Cake

Ever have one of those days where you're like, "I NEED CHOCOLATE CAKE, IMMEDIATELY" but you can't bake an entire cake because you don't want an entire cake, you just want one piece? Well, darling, I have just the solution for you. I almost feel guilty sharing this recipe because it makes it a little too easy to have fluffy, rich, warm chocolate cake anytime you want (and in a conveniently sized single serving!). Just promise not to get mad at me when you end up eating chocolate cake every night because it takes about three minutes from when the craving hits to the moment the first bite hits your tastebuds. You have been warned.

I am actually eating this right now. Indulgently. Guiltily. With a scoop of peanut butter on top (highly recommended addition).

Emergency Chocolate Cake

2 Tbs cake flour (or regular...)
2 Tbs sugar
2 rounded tsp cocoa powder
1/4 tsp baking powder
a pinch of salt
2 Tbs milk
2 tsp oil
1/2 tsp vanilla

Coat the inside of a mug with nonstick cooking spray. Put all ingredients in mug and stir with a fork until smooth. You can also stir in chocolate chips, nuts or anything else your heart desires. Microwave for 1 minute. Allow to cool a little before eating! If you're feeling crazy you could top it with a spoonful of peanut butter (which melts delectably on the warm cake) or maybe some ice cream. The possibilities are endless, really.

Recipe from friend Casey. I'll get you for this, Casey. ;)

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

This recipe has been haunting me since Nie posted about them almost a month ago. These cookies are chewy and rich and chocolatey, and also quite pretty.


They're fun to make, too. You get to roll them in powdered sugar before baking them. So pretty!


And the dough is almost as addicting as the finished product.


Be careful, this stuff is dangerous.


What? Oh no, that was already there. Yep.

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

2 cups sugar
¾ cup vegetable oil
¾ cup hershey's cocoa powder
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
powdered sugar

In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar and oil. Add cocoa; blend well. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder & salt; add to cocoa mixture blending well. Cover; chill for 2 hours. Heat oven to 350. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Roll in powdered sugar. Place 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheet. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until almost no indentation remains when touched. Remove from cookie sheet; cool on wire rack.

Makes 4 dozen. (I halved this!)

Recipe from the beautiful Stephanie Nielson at Cuisine Nie.

Golden Treats

These are sort of like Rice Krispie treats meets s'mores. Melted marshmallows and chocolate mixed with Golden Grahams cereal makes for an irresistible combination. Beware: it's very difficult to stop eating these once you start.

S'mores Treats

1 16 oz. bag mini marshmallows
5 tablespoons butter
¼ c. corn syrup
1 ½ c. milk chocolate chips
1 box golden grahams (about 14 oz.)

Heat butter in large pot on medium until melted. Add marshmallows, corn syrup, and chocolate chips, stirring constantly until melted and gooey. Remove from heat. Quickly pour in box of Golden Grahams and evenly stir and combine. Spread in 9x13 inch pan and enjoy! You can also let them cool and cut into bars.

Recipe from my beautiful cousin, Dayna.

Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies

I've been craving chocolate chocolate chip cookies lately. New Years Resolutions? Ha! Anyway, these are amazing. I substituted half the chocolate chips for butterscotch chips, but do as you will. With all that chocolate, they will be delish either way.

Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
16 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped {I used a cup of chocolate chips and it was great!}
4 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
10 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened but still cool
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk together; set aside.

Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over simmering water until completely melted and smooth; remove from the heat. (Alternatively, microwave the chocolate in 30 second intervals, mixing thoroughly in between, until melted and smooth.) In a small mixing bowl, combine the eggs and vanilla; stir well with a fork to dissolve; set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter at medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 5 seconds. Mix in the sugars until well combined, about 45 seconds – the mixture will look granular. Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually beat in the egg mixture until incorporated, about 45 seconds. Add the chocolate to the bowl in a steady stream and continue beating until combined, about 40 seconds. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. With the mixer at low speed, add the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated, being careful not to overbeat. Fold in the chocolate chips with a rubber spatula. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature until the consistency is scoopable and fudge-like, about 30 minutes. {I, Angie, did not let them sit for 30 minutes, and they turned out just fine.}

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350° F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets with a 1 ¾-inch cookie dough scoop, spacing the dough balls about 1 ½ inches apart.

Bake until the edges of the cookies have just began to set but the centers are still very soft, about 10 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through baking. Cool the cookies on the sheets about 10 minutes, transfer to cooling racks and allow to cool completely. Cool the baking sheets before baking more batches with the remaining dough.

Recipe from Annie's Eats.

Pumpkin Cookies

It's that time of year, folks. Nothing says "autumn" like a big warm pumpkin cookie with chocolate and butterscotch chips. These are really good. I made another recipe for pumpkin cookies last week, and these ones blew those first ones out of the water. So make these! While you're at it, make some pumpkin hot cocoa to go with it. Then cosy up on the couch with a blanket and a good book and bask in the glory that is fall.

Hop Scotch Pumpkin Cookies

1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon milk
1 tablespoon vanilla paste (extract will work just fine)
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips

Preheat oven to 350. Combine pumpkin, sugar, vegetable oil, milk, and egg. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and mix well. Add vanilla and chips. Drop by spoonful on greased cookie sheet and bake 10 minutes or until lightly brown and firm.

Recipe and photo from Abbie (love her), originally found on My Baking Addiction.

Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate

We don't have hot cocoa mix, so we got a little creative. But this little concoction turned out just like a dream. Delicious! Try it out.

Pumpkin Hot Chocolate

1 mug of milk (2% or whole preferred)
a good long squeeze from a bottle of chocolate syrup
1 1/2 tsp cocoa powder
2 tsp powdered sugar
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 Tbs canned pumpkin
marshmallows

Stir the chocolate syrup into the milk, then microwave for a minute or so, to desired heat. Stir in cocoa powder, powdered sugar, cinnamon and pumpkin. Add more of each ingredient as needed, to taste. Add marshmallows, curl up on couch, and sip luxuriously. ;)

And just look how much happiness and joy it will bring to your loved ones when you make it for them.
Priceless.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Moist, chocolatey... and the zucchini makes it healthy..... right.....?

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

1 ½ cups shredded raw zucchini
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 rounded teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup oil
½ cup white sugar
½ cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and place rack in the center of the oven. Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.

Grate the zucchini, using a medium sized grater. Set aside.

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon. Set aside.

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the oil, sugars, eggs, and vanilla extract until well blended (about 2 minutes). Fold in the grated zucchini. Add the flour mixture, beating just until combined. Then fold in the chocolate chips. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake until the bread has risen and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 55 to 65 minutes. Place on a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes, then remove the bread from the pan and cool completely.

Recipe from JoyofBaking.com.

Fudge Brownies

One of those recipes you find and it haunts you until you make it. It didn't help that a friend made them after I'd seen the recipe on her blog, and after tasting them I knew how good they were. Rich and chewy and fudgy, everything a brownie should be. I never do brownies from scratch but these were so easy.

Fudge Brownies

1 cup butter, melted
3 cups white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9 x13 baking dish.
Combine the melted butter, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each, until thoroughly blended.
Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Gradually incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until blended. Stir in the chocolate morsels. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking dish.
Bake in preheated oven until an inserted toothpick comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove, and cool pan on wire rack before cutting.
Dust with powdered sugar and top with raspberries before serving.

Recipe from the amazing Kelsey Egan.

S'mores Bars

I saw this recipe on Kathryn's recipe blog and knew I had to try it. It definitely didn't disappoint.
Thanks, Kathryn!

S'mores Bars

½ cup butter, room temperature
¼ cup brown sugar
½ cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ⅓ cups all purpose flour
¾ cup graham cracker crumbs (approximately 7 full graham crackers)
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
2 super-sized (5 oz.) chocolate bars (I used Symphony bars)
1 ½ cups marshmallow creme/fluff (not melted marshmallows)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light. Beat in egg and vanilla. Crush graham crackers in a ziplock bag with a rolling pin, then add flour, baking powder and salt to bag and shake to combine. Add to butter mixture and mix at a low speed until combined.

Divide dough in half. Press half of dough into an even layer on the bottom of the prepared pan. Place chocolate bars over dough. Two 5 oz. Hershey’s bars should fit perfectly side by side, but break the chocolate (if necessary) to get it to fit in a single layer no more than 1/4 inch thick. Spread marshmallow fluff evenly over the chocolate layer.

Place remaining dough in a single layer on top of the fluff. Flatten it out between your hands the best you can, place on top of fluff, and spread it to the edges using your fingers.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool and cut into bars. We served them warm with ice cream, which turned out delicious!

Recipe and photos from Kathryn.

Scotcheroos

I'm not going to lie to you. I am slightly obsessed with these. They present a problem because they are so easy to make and I usually have all the ingredients on hand. Way too accessible. But I shall refrain from making them three times a week. Maybe just a quarter-batch, once a week...?

Scotcheroos

1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
6 cups Rice Krispies or Special K cereal
1 cup semi-sweet {or milk} chocolate morsels
1 cup butterscotch chips

Place corn syrup and sugar into large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave 80-90 seconds (don't overheat), remove from microwave and stir. Stir in peanut butter till it melts. Add cereal, stir until well coated. Put mixture in 13x9-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Set aside.
Melt chocolate and butterscotch chips in microwave by heating 30 seconds and stirring till melted. It will melt eventually, do not over microwave chocolate or it will dry out and clump. Spread evenly over cereal mixture. Let stand until firm, or eat when warm, gooey and delicious. Makes 24 bars.

Recipe via Allrecipes.com.

Harding Family Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is Klane's mom's recipe and it is the best best best.

1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
3-3 ¼ cups flour
1 bag milk chocolate chips (or semi-sweet)

Pre heat oven to 375. Cream the sugars and butter together. Add eggs, baking powder, baking soda, salt and vanilla; mix together. Add flour gradually, mixing with a wooden spoon. (You may not need all the flour.) Then add the chips. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Never, I repeat, never overcook cookies. What a shame. For soft deliciously baked cookies, take them out when the tops just barely barely are the tiniest bit browned in spots. They don't look quite done but they will be perfect.

cookie recipe from the Harding family.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

½ cup of butter (1 stick), softened
¼ cup of brown sugar
¼ cup of white sugar
½ cup of peanut butter (I used creamy)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 ¼ cup of flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup of semisweet chocolate chips
½ cup of walnut pieces

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. In a large mixer, cream butter, peanut putter, sugars and vanilla. Add the egg and mix until light & fluffy. In another bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt - mix thoroughly. Slowly add the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, stirring continuously. Add chocolate chips and combine. Drop spoonfuls of cookie dough on the baking sheet and press the center of the cookie with a fork. Bake for 10-11 minutes. Enjoy!

Recipe from For the Love of Cooking.

Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

Deliciously moist and very addictive.

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup plain yogurt (I used sour cream, they were great)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about two bananas)
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. (Note: I substituted 3/4 cup wheat flour for 3/4 cup of the white flour and the result was fantastic.) In another bowl, combine the egg, oil, yogurt and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in bananas and chocolate chips. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350 degrees F for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

Recipe from Allrecipes.com.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is the recipe on the Quaker Oats package, and it's so good. Perfectly chewy, soft and delicious. The dough might be better than the actual cookie, but it's debatable. You'll have to try them for yourself. Thanks Sara for the tip.

2 sticks butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
½ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt, (optional)
3 cups oats
1 cup raisins or chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Cream butter and sugars. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine and add flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Stir in oats and raisins/chocolate chips. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes; until golden brown. Cool 1 min on cookie sheet, transfer to wire rack. (About 4 dozen cookies.) I have noticed with cookies that I always should take them out before I think they are done. I've made these twice recently and the first time I overcooked them because I was waiting for them to be more brown. Don't do that! Check them at 9 minutes just in case. Don't overcook them.