Cookie Friday: Chocolate Chip Cookies

Now.  Before you get bored with the fact that we are just doing plain, ol' chocolate chip cookies today, let me tell you.  This is the best chocolate chip cookie recipe I have ever had.  These cookies are specifically asked for anytime I am needed to bring treats or a dessert to an event.  They are soft and chewy AND they stay that way even days after they've been made.

These are the cookies I grew up eating; my mom made them all the time, and I love them.  They are perfect all on their own and/or with a glass of milk.  But they are also perfect for making ice cream sandwiches with.  Just make them a little larger than normal, slap some ice cream between two of them and yumm-o!!

So, without further ado...here's the recipe for THE Best Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 1/3 c. butter (do NOT substitute margarine!)

1 c. sugar

1 c. brown sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

3 1/2 c. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

12 oz chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375.

Cream butter and sugars together; add eggs and vanilla.  

Mix in all of the dry ingredients and then gently stir in the chocolate chips.

Bake for approximately 8 minutes (the tops of your cookies should just barely be turning brown).  Remove from oven and let sit on cookie sheet for 5 minutes before moving to a cooling rack.

By the way?  This dough is perfect on its own, before being cooked.  

Just sayin' - in case you're a cookie dough sort of person.

Enjoy!

Cookie Friday: Scarecrow Cookies

Confession:  I hate making sugar cookies.

I feel like they're a 3 day long process.  One day to make the dough, one to roll and cut out and another to frost and decorate.  I'm much more of a drop and bake kind of gal.

So, when my son saw these adorable cookies on Pinterest, my heart sunk a little bit.  But.  It is scarecrow season, and it is close enough to a holiday to merit making sugar cookies, so I agreed.

Technically, there is supposed to be "hair" on that scarecrow, but it was just one too many steps for me.  He would be a cute Frosty for Christmas too, don't you think?

And, they're fun for little hands to design exactly how they wish!

Anyway.  You really could use any sugar cookie recipe to make these, or even get store bought cookie dough.  However, here is our favorite sugar cookie recipe:

Sour Cream Sugar Cookies

6 c. flour (save 1 c. for the end)
1 t. basking soda
1 t. baking powder
1 c. butter (room temperature)
2 c. sugar
3 eggs
1 t. vanilla
1 1/2 c. sour cream

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes).  Add eggs, vanilla and sour cream at low speed until combined.

Add dry ingredients at low speed just until combined.  Add remaining cup of flour as needed for correct consistency.  Roll out and cut into shapes as desired.  Bake at 425 for 7-8 minutes.

Cookie Friday: Nutella No Bakes

No new Cookie Friday today...my hubby's been out of town all week, 

and today we're off picking him up. YAY!! 

Daddy with all his little monkeys this summer

So, since we're busy celebrating having Daddy home, I am re-posting one of my favorite cookie recipes: Nutella No Bakes.

This recipe is my downfall.  I LOVE these cookies.  They're quick (we're talking 15 minutes!), easy and I always have all the ingredients in my cupboards.  So, unfortunately, anytime I'm craving a chocolaty sweet, these are my go to treat!

Nutella No Bakes

1/4 c. butter
4 T. cocoa
1/2 c. milk
2 c. sugar

In a saucepan, mix the first 4 ingredients and bring to a rapid boil.  Once it starts boiling, stir constantly and boil for 1 minute.

Immediately after your 1 minute is up, remove from heat and add:

1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 c. Nutella
1/4 c. peanut butter
2 c. oats

Mix well.  Drop by spoonfuls on wax paper (foil will work too).  Allow to cool and harden.

Cookie Friday: Surprise Cookies

Kate Symmonds!!!
You won the jar of Triple Chip Cookie Mix from Mason Jar Mixes!
YAY!!!
Email me at kadydiddesigns(at)gmail.com to collect your yummy prize!


Alright.  So this week's version of Cookie Friday is a bit sloppy on my end.
Sorry.
 I totally forgot that I was planning on blogging about this until half way through,
and all I had handy was my cell phone to take photos.
So.  The photos are bleh.
My child is half naked,
and my counters are a mess.
But whatever.  That's my real life.
Doesn't everybody bake cookies in just their swim trunks?

This week we made Surprise Cookies (thanks to Martha Stewart), which I have pinned on my Cookie Monster board on Pinterest.
You can find the original recipe for these cookies HERE.
We followed everything as written, and the cookies turned out great.

Obviously.  Not my photo.  Martha Stewart's photo.  Again, the appropriate link...

Not only were they yummy, but they provided lots of helping opportunities for little hands.
These would be perfect for post-camping trip leftovers;
when you have half a bag of marshmallows left from making S'mores.
Or is that just our family?
Anyway.
Kehlton had a blast smooshing the marshmallows down on the cookies.

And he even helped make the frosting to go on top.
(The homemade frosting was delicious.
However, you could totally skip that step and just use store bought.
Sorry, Martha.)

Obviously, these were a huge hit!

If you decide to try these out, let me know how you liked them!

Cookie Friday: Mason Jar Mixes

Fridays around here have managed to turn themselves in to "Cookie Fridays".

My Kehlton doesn't have school on Fridays 

and he is so sad every Friday morning when his big brother goes off to school.

So...he and I have gotten into the routine of making cookies every Friday.  

(Not so good for my waist, but great for my mommy heart)

I decided that I would start sharing this tradition with you all too, 

in the form of new (and old!) cookie recipes and a photo or two.

Brittni, from Mason Jar Mixes, provided me one of their yummy cookie mixes for my son and I to try out.

We made the Triple Chip cookies.  

I seriously had a difficult time making myself open this adorable jar.

Kehlton and I had a blast baking 

along with a little help from sister, Jessa.

They were delicious!  And I loved how amazingly fragrant they were while they were baking in my oven.

Well.  As a fun surprise for the kick off of this new series, Brittni included a second jar of Triple Chip Cookie mix for me to share with you!  So, if you're interested in getting some fun mail that will turn into something delicious, simply follow the Rafflecopter prompts below.

I'll announce a winner next Friday over cookies!  :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monster Cookies

Today, it was super cloudy and cool outside (and when I say cool, I mean it was 95 outside); 

perfect weather for making cookies with my boys.  

So, we made Monster Cookies.

This recipe makes a TON of cookies.  I'm only giving you the 1/2 batch recipe, and I still got over 65 cookies with the 1/2 batch.  And not 65 small, bite size cookies.  I'm talking 65 - big enough to impress my son - cookies.

My advice?

Make 1/2 batch.

Bake half of that.

Freeze the rest of the dough for another day.

Unless you just really want a lot of cookies; and I wouldn't blame you.

So here you go:  

Monster Cookies

Mix together in the order given:

3 eggs

1 1/4 c. brown sugar, packed

1 c. sugar

1/2 T. vanilla

1/2 T. corn syrup

1/2 c. margarine, softened

2 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 c. peanut butter

4 1/2 c. oatmeal

1 1/2 c. M&Ms

1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Drop by large teaspoonful on cookie sheet and flatten slightly with a fork.  Bake 10-12 minutes at 350.  Allow to cool almost completely before removing from cookie sheet and transferring to cooling rack (I learned this the hard way!  If you try to remove them from the cookie sheet too soon, they will crumble).

A word of advice?  Be sure to leave plenty of room for them on the cookie sheet.  They do grow quite a bit while in the oven.

I hope your kids enjoy them as much as mine!  Even my non-sweet eating child loves these!!

Today...

We are making "Thank You" treats for some friends and neighbors.

What are you doing today?

Breakfast Cookies

On Instagram over the weekend, I posted this photo:

Healthy Breakfast Cookies.  

And, since I was asked by several to post the recipe, I figured this would be the easiest way to do it!

So, here you go!

Healthy Breakfast Cookies

(adapted from The Sneaky Chef)

First:

Make a flour mixture using equal parts all purpose flour, whole wheat flour and wheat germ.  I always do a minimum of a cup each, but I use this flour mix for lots of other things.  You only need 1.25 cups total for this recipe.

Then, puree (making as smooth as possible)

3 cups raw baby spinach leaves

1.5 cups of blueberries (fresh or frozen)

1/2 t. lemon juice and

1-2 T water 

I usually will double or triple this (especially when berries are on sale).  I then freeze it in 1/4 c. amounts.  One batch makes 1 cup.  You need 3/4 c. for the recipe.

Then combine in order:

1 1/4. c flour mixture

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp. cinnamon

6 T. brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 egg

3/4 c. puree mix from above

6 T. canola oil

Powdered Sugar for dusting

(I also like to add a handful of chocolate chips to the recipe.  It's not necessary, but helps my super picky eaters believe they really are eating chocolate chip cookies for breakfast)

You could also easily add a few tablespoons of protein powder to the mix as well.  I may have to try that next batch...

Once everything is mixed well, drop by spoonfuls on a greased or parchment paper lined cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 for 12-14 minutes.  Remove from pan and let cool on a rack.  Dust with powdered sugar and enjoy!  

I seriously let my children eat as many of these as they want.  I have one child who will willingly only eat peanut butter sandwiches with an occasional applesauce.  So for him, getting spinach AND blueberries in him is a BIG deal.

And word to the wise?  DO NOT EAT THE DOUGH.  It does not taste good.  Well, according to my husband anyway.  Once baked though, he scarfed down 2 or 3!  :)

What do you think?  How do you sneak healthy food into your super picky eaters?

Nutella No-Bake Cookies

(Don't forget about our Fabric Scrap Tutu Giveaway!  Go {HERE} to check it out!)

This recipe is my downfall.  I LOVE these cookies.  They're quick (we're talking 15 minutes!), easy and I always have all the ingredients in my cupboards.  So, unfortunately, anytime I'm craving a chocolaty sweet, these are my go to treat!

Nutella No Bakes

1/4 c. butter
4 T. cocoa
1/2 c. milk
2 c. sugar

In a saucepan, mix the first 4 ingredients and bring to a rapid boil.  Once it starts boiling, stir constantly and boil for 1 minute.

Immediately after your 1 minute is up, remove from heat and add:

1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 c. Nutella
1/4 c. peanut butter
2 c. oats

Mix well.  Drop by spoonfuls on wax paper (foil will work too).  Allow to cool and harden.