10/6/2008

Making Life Easier with the best cookies ever!

1. Absolutely the Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

INGREDIENTS

* 1 cup butter flavored shortening
* 3/4 cup white sugar
* 3/4 cup brown sugar
* 2 eggs
* 2 teaspoons Mexican vanilla extract
* 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 2 cups milk chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. In a large bowl, cream together the butter flavored shortening, brown sugar and white sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition, then stir in the vanilla .Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; gradually stir into the creamed mixture. Finally, fold in the chocolate chips. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until light brown. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

2. Double Chocolate Toffee cookies

* 1/2 c unsalted butter
* 1/2 c butter flavored crisco OR spectrum organic shortening
* 3/4 c white sugar
* 3/4 c brown sugar
* 2 eggs
* 1 tbs mexican vanilla
* 2 c flour
* 1/2 c hershey’s dark cocoa
* 1 tsp baking soda
* 1 tsp salt
* 2 c white chocolate chips
* 1/2 c pecans or walnuts
* 1 c heath bar chopped up or toffee pieces

DIRECTIONS

Cream butter, crisco, sugars, eggs and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add dry ingredients. Fold in chips, nuts, and toffee. Chill for 30 minutes. Drop by tsp on silpat or lightly greased cookie sheets Bake for 8-10 minutes until just barely done. Let cool. Yields about 4 doz depending how much of the dough you eat. NOTE: I dont like using the crisco and sometimes I will use all butter but all butter will make the cookies flatter.. I have also recently started using organic shortening (no trans fats) and I really like it.

3. Chai Tea Cookies

* 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon ground cardamon
* 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
* 1/3 cup granulated sugar
* 1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
* 1/4 cup NESTEA® Unsweetened Instant 100% Tea
* 1 large egg
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1 tablespoon coarse sugar or 2 teaspoons granulated sugar

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350° F. Lightly grease baking sheets. Combine flour, cardamom, ginger and salt in small bowl. Beat brown sugar, granulated sugar and butter in small mixer bowl until combined. Beat in Nestea, egg and vanilla extract until creamy. Gradually stir in flour mixture. Drop by rounded teaspoon onto prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake for 9 to 10 minutes or until centers are set and edges are lightly browned. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

4. Malted Milk Ball Cookies


* 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
* 1 tsp baking soda
* 1/2 tsp baking powder
* 1/2 tsp salt
* 3/4 cup butter, room temperature
* 1 cup sugar
* 1/2 cup milk
* 1 tsp vanilla extract
* 1 1/2 cups roughly chopped maltesers/whoppers/malted milk balls

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in milk and vanilla, then gradually blend in the flour mixture. Do not overmix; stir only until no streaks of flour remain. Stir in the chopped Maltesers/Whoppers/Malted Milk Balls. Drop into 1-inch balls (tbsp sized balls) on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 12-14 minutes, until lighty browned. Cool on baking sheet for 2-3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

5. Latte Cheesecake Bars

CRUST

* 2 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs
*
1/2 cup butter melted
*
1/2 tsp cinnamon

FILLING

* 2 tbs heavy whipping cream
*
2 tsp instant coffee granules
* 2[8 oz] pkg cream cheese softened
*
1/2 cup sugar
*
3 eggs
*
1/2 tsp vanilla

TOPPING

* 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
*
1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

Heat oven to 350. Mix crumbs melted butter and cinnamon and press onto bottom of an ungreased 13x9" baking pan[you must use this size for the bars to turn out properly]. Combine 2 tbs whipping cream and coffee granules in a small bowl. Let stand 5 min until coffee dissolves. Combine cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl. Beat at med speed scraping bowl often until creamy. Add coffee mixture eggs and vanilla. Beat well scraping bowl often until well combined. Pour over crust and bake for 20-24 min or until center is nearly set. Cool on wire rack 1 hour. Place 1/3 cup whipping cream in a 1 qt saucepan. Cook over med heat until whipping almost comes to a full boil. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips until melted. Spread over cheesecake. Refrigerate until chocolate sets at least an hour better overnight. Cut into bars.