Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies

Notes: these cookies are amazing. The taste and texture is just like paradise bakery chocolate chip cookies. The dough is a great base, and coconut, walnuts, etc. would be great additions. 

Make 24 large cookies.

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1-2 cups chocolate chips (depending on how chocolatey you like your cookies)

In a large bowl, cream butter, shortening, and sugars together until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla.

In a medium sized bowl, mix together dry ingredients. Slowly mix into creamed mixture, and mix until just combined. If dough is too crumbly and not coming together, mix in a tablespoon of water at a time until the dough holds together. Stir in chocolate chips.

Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, scoop out dough and form into a ball. Continue until all the dough is formed. Place balls of dough in the freezer for 2 hours or up to 3 months.

When ready to cook, preheat the over to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicon baking mat. Bake for 14-16 minutes. Do not overbake. Let cool for 2 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.

Sugar Cookies with Sour Cream Frosting

Notes: these cookies are different than a more traditional rolled/cut-out sugar cookie. If dough is a little sticky or difficult to form after mixing, place in the fridge for 15 or 20 minutes to firm it up. These cookies are great served cold. 

Makes 4-5 dozen cookies.

Cookies:
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cream of tarter
1 teaspoon salt
5 1/2 cups flour

Forming Dough:
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cream butter, vegetable oil, sugars, water, and eggs together in a large mixing bowl. Add dry ingredients and mix until combined. Roll dough into golf ball sized balls and place on a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment or a baking mat.

On a small plate, mix together the 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Wet the bottom of a small glass and stick in the sugar/salt mixture. Using the coated bottom, firmly press into the center of the dough balls. The dough should spread past the edges of the cup, forming rough edges. Cookies should still be thick but flattened.

Bake in preheated oven for about 8 minutes, until just barely starting to brown on the bottom. Cool on pan for a few minutes, then move to a cooling rack. Once cool, place in fridge until ready to frost and serve.

Frosting:
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

About 6 cups of powdered sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1-2 tablespoons milk

Cream butter until light and fluffy. Cream in sour cream, vanilla, and salt. Slowly add in powdered sugar, about 1/2 to 1 cup at a time. When frosting gets thicker, add a splash of milk, about 1 tablespoon to start. Mix until well incorporated. Continue adding powdered sugar, just a little at a time, until desired consistency is reached.

Sugar Cookies

Notes: the best sugar cookie recipe I have found for rolled/cut-out sugar cookies. The dough is easiest to work with when it is kept cold. 

Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

1 1/2 cups butter, softened
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
5 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
Powdered sugar, for rolling

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour, or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place dough on a surface that has been generously dusted with powdered sugar. Roll out dough 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick, using additional powdered sugar to prevent sticking, as necessary. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake cookies for about 5-7 minutes, until just barely cooked. Do not over-bake.

Browned Butter Snickerdoodles

Notes: the browned butter adds richness and nuttiness to these snickerdoodles. These are also good with little caramel bits mixed into the batter.

Makes about 2-3 dozen cookies.

Dough:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, sliced
1 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon plain Greek yogurt

For Rolling:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.

To brown the butter, heat a skillet on medium heat. Add the sliced butter, whisking frequently. Let the butter melt, and continue to cook until butter foams and brown specks appear. The butter will small nutty and become a golden brown color. Remove butter from the heat and let cool to about room temperature.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the brown butter sugars. Mix until blended and smooth. Beat in the egg, yolk, vanilla, and yogurt and mix until combined. Slowly add in the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Chill dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon and sugar. Scoop dough by tablespoons, form into balls, roll in cinnamon-sugar mixture, then place onto a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicon baking mat.

Bake the cookies 8-10 minutes or until the edges of the cookies begin to turn golden-brown. The centers should still be soft. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely.  

Pistachio Shortbread Cookies

Notes: So good and so easy to put together. They are also good with a little raspberry or cherry jam spread in the middle of two cookies. 

Makes about 60 small cookies. 

2 sticks unsalted butter, cute into small cubes and softened slightly
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons honey
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup blanched and peeled pistachios

Pulse butter, sugar, honey, egg yolk, and vanilla in a food processor until creamy, scraping down the sides as needed. Add the flour and pistachios and pulse just until the the dough comes together.

Transfer the dough to a sheet of parchment paper and knead until uniform. Divide dough in half. Roll each half into a log about 1-inch in diameter. Wrap the logs in parchment or plastic wrap and freeze until firm, at least 30 minutes (or up to 3 weeks).

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat. Slice the logs into 1/4-inch thick rounds and place on prepared baking sheets. Bake until the cookies are firm and lightly browned, about 10-13 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

The Best Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Notes: the perfect homemade chocolate chip cookie. If dough seems to soft after mixing, refrigerate for about 30 minutes to make forming the dough easier. 

Makes 2-3 dozen large cookies. 

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled until warm

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk

2 tsp. vanilla extract 

1-1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicon baking mats.

Whisk dry ingredients together in a medium bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugars together. Beat in egg, yolk, and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and beat on low-speed until just barely combined. Stir in chocolate chips. 

Scoop large balls of dough onto the cookie sheet, leaving room between each ball. Bake in a preheated oven for 11-14 minutes, until cookie just begins to become a golden-brown. Be careful not to over-bake.

Cool on baking sheets for about 5 minutes, and then transfer to a cooling rack.  

Healthy Single Serving Deep Dish Chocolate Chip Cookie

Notes: honey or agave can be subbed for the maple syrup. Recipe can be doubled and baked in a a slightly larger ramekin. 

From Top With Cinnamon. 

1 1/2 tsp coconut oil

1 tbsp brown sugar, coconut sugar, or cane sugar

1 tbsp maple syrup 

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1/8 tsp (plus more for sprinkling) sea salt/kosher salt/a good salt

1/8 tsp baking powder

2 tbsp + 2 tsp white whole wheat flour

4 or 5 chocolate chip (more if you would like it more chocolatey)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

Put the first 4 ingredients into a small ramekin. Place on a cookie sheet and put into the oven for about 1 minute, until the coconut oil melts. 

Add in the salt, baking powder, and flour. Stir until combined. Smooth out the dough. Scatter chocolate chips over the top, and press them down slightly into the dough. Sprinkle a tiny bit of salt on the top. 

Bake in preheated oven 7-10 minutes, until golden brown (cookie will look a little soft in the middle). Eat while warm.

Lemon Crinkle Cookies

Makes 2-3 dozen cookies. 

½ cups butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 whole egg
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoons baking powder
⅛ teaspoons baking soda
1-½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease light colored baking sheets with non-stick cooking spray or line them (silicone baking mat or parchment paper). Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla, egg, lemon zest, and juice. Gently beat in all dry ingredients except the powdered sugar until just combined. Pour powdered sugar onto a large plate. Roll a heaping teaspoon of dough into a ball and roll in powdered sugar. Place on baking sheet and repeat with remaining dough.

Bake for 7-9 minutes or until bottoms begin to barely brown and cookies look cooked through. Do not over bake. Remove from oven and cool cookies about 3 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

Coconut Oatmeal Chewies

Notes: these cookies are lighter, softer, and more buttery than a regular oatmeal cookie. The coconut is not over-powering, but creates a nice chewy. 

Makes about 3 dozen cookies. 
From tastykitchen.com.

1 cup Granulated Sugar
1 cup Brown Sugar
2 whole Large Eggs
1 cup (2 Sticks), Butter, Softened To Room Temperature
2 teaspoons Vanilla
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
½ teaspoons Salt
2-½ cups All-purpose Flour
1 cup Shredded Coconut
1 cup Quick Oats

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, cream together the sugar, eggs, butter and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto a greased or lined (Silpat or parchment) baking sheet. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes, until the cookies are set but not overly browned. 

Malted Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies

Notes: these cookies are really good, but they do bake up flat and chewy. They are still delicious, but not the right recipe if you want a bigger/thicker cookie. 

Makes about 3 dozen cookies. 
From Ree Drummond, Foodtv.com.

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup golden brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 whole eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 rounded cup malted milk powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
12 ounces milk chocolate chips.

Preheat oven the 375 degrees F.

Cream the butter, then add sugars and cream until fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla, and beat until combined. Beat in the malted milk powder.

In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to the butter mixture and beat gently until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased baking sheet, leaving room for the cookies to spread. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Allow to cool slightly then transfer to cooling racks.

Brown Sugar Cookies

Notes:  These cookies are almost like a cross between a chocolate chip cookie (minus the chocolate chips) and a soft gingersnap cookie.

From epicurious.com. 

Makes 4 dozen cookies.

1 ½ sticks butter, softened

1 ¼ cups packed brown sugar

1 large egg, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups AP flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

½ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

In a large bowl, combine butter and brown sugar. Cream until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Add egg and vanilla, mixing until well combined. Add remaining ingredients. Mix until dough comes together and flour is just barely incorporated. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicon baking mats. Drop tablespoon sized balls of dough onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for 9-11 minutes, until lightly browned around the edges. Leave on the pan for 5 minutes, before transferring to a wire cooling rack. 

M&M Cookies

Notes: the dough is really soft when first prepared, and really needs to be chilled before baking. Peanut M&Ms are also a really good substitute for plain M&Ms in this recipe.

Makes 5 dozen cookies.

1 cup packed brown sugar

½ cup white sugar

½ cup butter, softened

½ cup shortening

2 eggs

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

2 ½ cups AP flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 ½ cups M&Ms

In a large bowl, cream together sugar, eggs, shortening, butter, and vanilla. Add flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until just combined. Stir in M&Ms. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

After the dough has chilled, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Drop dough by teaspoonful onto cookie sheet.

Bake for 8-10 minutes. Cool for a few minutes on the sheet, then transfer to a wire cooling rack. 

S'mores Cookie Bars

From lovintheoven.com.

Makes 25 bars.

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/3 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup fine graham cracker crumbs

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

2 king-sized milk chocolate bars (Symphony bars work well) 

1 1/2 cups marshmallow creme/fluff (1 regular 7-oz size jar)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light. Beat in egg and vanilla. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt. Add to butter mixture and mix at a low speed until combined.

Divide dough in half and press half of dough into an even layer on the bottom of the prepared pan. Place chocolate bars over dough. 2 king-sized Hershey’s bars should fit perfectly side by side, but break the chocolate if necessary to get it to fit in just a single layer. Spread chocolate with marshmallow creme or fluff (works best if you use a spatula sprayed with cooking spray). Place remaining pieces of dough in a thin, even layer on top of the fluff. Bake for about 25-30 minutes, until lightly browned on top. Cool completely before cutting bars.