Triple Chocolate Cookies

Hey Y'all.  I've been talking to a lot of people lately who believe they can't cook or bake.  They think it's super complicated so they don't even try.  That's not the case at all.  I have lots of recipes that are so easy anyone can make them.  Here is a super simple cookie recipe.  It uses a box of cake mix.  I mean, come on, how easy is that?  

TRIPLE CHOCOLATE COOKIES

1 box chocolate cake mix (I used Swiss chocolate mix)

1 stick unsalted butter

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

1 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt the butter in the microwave or in a pot on the stove.

In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, melted butter, egg and vanilla extract.  You can use an electric mixer on low, but if you don't have one, just stir it until it's thoroughly combined.

Add the chocolate chips and stir to mix them in well.

Drop by rounded tablespoon onto a cookie sheet, leaving room between them.  An easy way to do this is to use two spoons.  Scoop with one spoon then use the second spoon to scrape the dough off and onto the cookie sheet.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven (you want them to go into a hot oven so be sure it's preheated) for 9-11 minutes or until the edges are just starting to brown.

Let them sit on the baking sheet for 1 minute after you remove from the oven.  Then use a spatula to transfer them to rack to cool.  Yields 4 dozen cookies.

These cookies are really yummy and chocked full of chocolate chips!  Awesome with a glass of milk.  Plus, it's so easy!  A great recipe to make with kids or for a party or anytime, really.  So, if you are one of those who think they can't bake, please give this a try.  You'll surprise yourself.

My Favorite Sugar Cookies

Thanksgiving will soon be upon us and it can't get here fast enough for me!  It's my absolute favorite holiday.  Food, Family, Food, Football, Food, Parades, and did I mention Food?  I love to cook and I love to eat (and I love to count my blessings) so Thanksgiving is the best day.  It is also the unofficial start to the holiday season when it becomes socially acceptable for me to blast Christmas music while baking sugar cookies.  Here is a simple, delicious recipe that you can bake while blasting Christmas music (the music is important to the recipe ;)

MY FAVORITE SUGAR COOKIES

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
holiday sprinkles or colored sugars
a little powdered sugar


Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until very well blended.  (If you don't have a mixer, just whip it with a whisk really, really well until fluffy).

Scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally.

Next, add the egg and vanilla.  Mix well.

Then, stir in the flour until fully incorporated.

Chill the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes or so.  This helps the cookies keep their shape.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Pinch off a heaping tablespoon of dough (more or less) and roll it into a ball (I use a small scoop so they are all the same size, but you can use a spoon).

Place some sprinkles (or colored sugar) into a small bowl and dip the ball of dough into the sprinkles.

Place it onto a cookie sheet.  Leave a few inches between them because you're going to press them flat later.

Put a little bit of powdered sugar in a bowl.  Rub a little butter on the bottom of a glass (I use the wrapper from the softened butter I used in the cookies) then dip the bottom of the glass into the powdered sugar.

Flatten the dough with the glass.

Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until the edges are light golden brown.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

These cookies are simple but they're a holiday favorite for a reason.  Buttery, sweet and delicious!  They make a great gift and are so pretty on a cookie platter at a party.  You'll want to make these every year.

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

Happy Valentines Day!  I have never been one of those girls that really got into the commercialism of this holiday.  When I was in college, I would wear all black and boycott it.  Now that I'm married, I have a sweet hubby who brings me flowers but I still think it's crazy to expect your guy to spend a fortune on gifts to show his love.  Seriously, flowers die, candy rots your teeth and jewelry is just shiny rocks.  I'd much rather have my guy show his love in little ways everyday than by buying extravagant gifts once a year.  But that's just me.

My hubby loves my chocolate chocolate chip cookies.  They taste like a brownie and a chocolate chip cookie got married and had a baby.  Perfect for Valentines Day, right?

CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

1 stick unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup self rising flour*
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

*If you don't have self rising flour, mix 1 cup all purpose flour with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp baking soda.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream the softened butter with sugar, brown sugar, egg and vanilla.  To "cream together" just means to mix with a mixer on medium-high speed until well blended and fluffy.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa and cinnamon.

Mix the flour mixture into the butter mixture until combined.  Don't over mix it.

Stir in the chocolate chips.

Drop from a Tablespoon, 2 inches apart, onto a cookie sheet.

Bake for 8-10 minutes.  You want these slightly under done.  If you over bake them, they will get all dried out and that's not good.  Just slightly golden on the edges.

These are so good!  It's like a brownie and a cookie all rolled into one.  If that doesn't say love, I don't know what does?

Christmas Shortbread Cookies

As Christmas fast approaches, I am still in a house of renovating madness.  Every morning I am greeted by the lovely sounds of saws and nail guns.  It's a wonderful way to start the day, I highly recommend it (can you hear the sarcasm through the computer?).  Well, anyway, the holidays go on.  So, I will do what I do on every holiday, bake cookies.  Today, I'm talking about shortbread cookies.

I absolutely love shortbread cookies.  How could I not, they're basically butter and sugar?  Oh well, my philosophy is "I'd rather have a little something delicious than a lot of something diet".    These cookies fall into that category.  It's true, they're a splurge, but it is Christmastime after all, so splurge away!

CHRISTMAS SHORTBREAD COOKIES

1 stick unsalted butter, softened (leave out on the counter til soft)
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract (pure, no imitation stuff here!)
1 cup all purpose flour
2 squares of white almond bark
Christmas sprinkles

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Using a mixer, cream the butter and sugar (that just means mix it on medium-high speed til it's fluffy).

Stir in the vanilla extract.

Next, add the flour and mix on medium low speed until combined.  You will see it start to form a dough.

Turn the dough out onto a surface covered with wax paper.  I use a cutting board or sometimes just my counter top.

Form the dough (using your very clean hands, aka the best tools you have) into a rectangle that's about a 1/4 inch thick.

Using a pizza cutter (or a knife), cut the dough in half vertically and then horizontally.

You'll have four sections.  Cut each section into thirds.  This will leave you with 12 rectangular cookies.

Use a fork to poke a few holes into the dough.  This is decorative, but it also helps the cookies rise evenly.

Gently place each cookie onto a baking sheet, leaving plenty of space between them (because they will spread while baking).

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until light golden brown around the edges.  Don't over bake these!

Let them cool a few minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer them to a rack to cool completely.  If you don't have a rack, don't sweat it.  Just take them off the hot baking sheet and put them on a cool one.  The rack just lets air circulate around the cookies so they cool faster.

Once the cookies are completely cooled, melt the almond bark.  I put it into a coffee mug and microwave it for 30 seconds, then stir.  If it's not totally melted, microwave it for another 15 seconds and stir again.  You want it to be fully melted and smooth.

Once the almond bark is melted, carefully dip each cookie to coat the end.  I say carefully because they are very delicate cookies and will break easily.  Just dip the end and then lay it on some wax paper and decorate with sprinkles (do it quickly because the almond bark starts to set up fast).

Let them sit until the almond bark sets, which doesn't take long.  If you don't want to dip them, you can drizzle the melted almond bark over the top and then decorate with sprinkles.

This recipe makes 12 cookies.  It is very easy to double if you want to make more.  Put these in a cellophane bag with a pretty ribbon and you've got a great hostess gift.

These are very festive and delicious!  A great Christmas cookie!