Chocolate chip cookies (the best recipe to freeze)

I make a batch of this cookie dough, freeze it in cookie dough balls and whenever we want a warm chocolate chip cookie (perfect with ice cream!) we can just throw them in the oven.  These are thick, chewy, big and must be eaten warm :)

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 1/3 cups flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 bag mini chocolate chips or half and half mini and chunks

Directions:

1. Mix the butter, shortening and sugar until light and fluffy.
2. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until combined.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt then slowly add to creamed mixture.
4.* the dough should not be sticky...
5.  Add chocolate chips.
6.Form cookie dough into balls using a 1/4 inch scoop or measuring cup and freeze for at least 2 hours or up to 3 months.

7.  To bake: place frozen cookie dough balls on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Milk Chocolate Buttercream

1 C. unsalted butter, softened
2 ½ C. powdered sugar (or more, depending on desired consistency)
4 Hershey’s Milk Chocolate candy bars (1.55 oz. each), chopped (Do NOT use chocolate chips!)
¼ C. heavy whipping cream
½ tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt

1. Put the chopped milk chocolate bars into a small bowl.  Heat the chocolate in 30 second increments.  Stir after each increment, and continue to heat 30 seconds at a time, until the chocolate is melted and smooth.  Set aside and allow to completely cool.
2. Once the milk chocolate has cooled, cream the butter, salt and sugar together until light and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
3. Measure the whipping cream into a cup, and stir in the vanilla extract into the cream.
4. With the mixer running on low speed, gradually pour the cream mixture the bowl.
5. Once the cream mixture has been incorporated into the frosting, fold on the melted (but cooled) milk chocolate until incorporated.
6. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high, and beat frosting for an additional 3 minutes.
7. Makes about 2 ½ cups of frosting

Easy Oreo Truffles

These have become a tradition.  This super easy recipe has become very popular, I'm not surprised!
Mint oreos are great with this too.

Ingredients:

1 package Oreo cookies
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
16 ounces chocolate, melted for dipping

Directions:

1. In a food processor, process cookies into fine crumbs.
2. Add the cream chesse, and mix until well blended.
3. Roll mixture into 42 balls, about 1 tablespoon each.
4. Dip the balls in melted chocolate and place on wax paper.

Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

Today was the first day of school, so in preparation for the boys return home this afternoon Ada and I made a batch of chocolate chip cookies.  I have 3 different chocolate chip cookie recipes that I love.  This one is super soft, I think you will love them!


Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 (3.4 ounce) package instant french vanilla pudding mix
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups chocolate chops

Directions:

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.  Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt.
3.  Cream together the butter and sugars.  Beat in the instant pudding mix until combined.  Mix in the eggs and vanilla.  Mix in the flour mixture until just combined.  Stir in chocolate chips.
4. Use a 1 tablespoon sized cookie scoop (or roll spoonfuls of dough in hand) and scoop dough onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
5. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until edges are golden.  The cookies will look a little underdone.  Let them rest on the pan for 5 minutes before removing to cool completely on wire racks.

Caramel filled chocolate cookies

These cookies couldn't be any better. period.

Ingredients:

1 cup butter softened

1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup cocoa powder
52 chocolate covered caramels  (My favorite is rolos.  Nestles treasure and Caramelos are good too.  I plan to try the Hershey Kisses filled with caramel one day)

1/2 cups chopped walnuts

1 tabelspoon sugar

Directions:

1. Beat butter until creamy.
2. Gradually beat in white and brown sugar, eggs and vanilla.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, soda, salt, cocoa, and gradually add to butter and sugar mixture.
4. Cover chill dough for 1 hour.
5. Roll the dough into balls around each caramel piece.  ( make each dough piece into a bowl shape, place the candy into the bowl, then wrap the dough up around the candy and then mold the whole thing into a round ball)  I get about 52 cookies using a 1 tablespoon sized cookie scoop.
6. Combine the tablespoon of sugar and chopped nuts in a small bowl
7. Dip the top of the cookie dough ball into sugar and nuts.  (or just into sugar if you don't like nuts) 
8. Place cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet and cook at 375 for 8-9 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan.
9. enjoy warm and gooey or cool and chewy.

Nutella Fudge Brownies

No No No! I want this recipe erased from my memory. It is too good and too easy. I am going to make it too often and get too fat!!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Nutella
1 egg
5 tablespoons flour
pinch of salt

Directions:

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Line a mini muffin pan with paper cups (12)
Mix the Nutella and egg in a bowl until smooth and well blended. Add the flour and salt and mix until combined.
Spoon the batter into the 12 mini muffin cups.
Bake for 11 - 12 minutes.
Set on a rack to cool completely.

*This recipe is adapted from finecooking.com

No Bake Cookies

What? You don't make no bake cookies all the time for your family and eat the whole batch in one day? Well you should, and this is THE recipe.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup cocoa (preferably Dutch processed cocoa, or a mixture of dark cocoa powder)
1/2 cup peanut butter (or any nut butter, try Nutella too!)
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 heaping cups quick cooking oats
a pinch of salt

Directions:

Combine butter, sugar, milk and cocoa in sauce pan over medium heat. Cook and stir until it comes to a complete boil. Boil for 1 minute. Remove pan from heat and stir in the remaining ingredients until combined. Drop spoonfuls of cookie mixture onto wax paper and let cool.
Store cooled cookies in the fridge or at room temperature.