chocolate – Page 19 – The Pajama Chef

Triple Chocolate Oat Cookies

January 12, 2011January 28, 2016 Sarah

So, the other night, I desperately wanted cookies–and I wanted them now. It was the first day of school for the semester and I just needed a little chocolately something-something to relax. You know how it is.

So I pulled together a little of this and a little and used some Mark Bittman as inspiration, and these deliciously soft, rich, and sweet chocolate cookies entered my mouth less than 25 minutes later. It was glorious. I was happy. Oh, so happy.

But then… the following conversation actually occurred on Monday night. And all of those happy feelings vanished.

Sarah: So, what do you think of the cookies?

Ben: Oh, they were really good… I was kind of surprised, because when you were making them they kind of reminded me of no-bakes, and I’m kind of iffy on no-bakes.

Sarah: You are? But you’ve eaten my no-bake cookies before!

Ben: *pfffs* I know. I’ll eat ’em when they’re there, but… they’re kind of like that girl you just like as a friend. You like it when she’s there, but you don’t miss her when she’s gone because they are no sparks.

Sarah: Oh really? So how many times do you try them anyways to see if there are sparks? And what kind of cookie am I?

Ben: Ehhhhhhhh…. noooo, I mean, I was just trying to think of a good cookie!! Ummmmm…. (pause pause pause) You’re like the chewy Chips Ahoy coo-…

Sarah: (interrupts) WHAT?! Out of everything I’ve cooked for you over the past three years, you choose to compare me to chewy Chips Ahoy??? And what about those sparks?!?

Ben: I just meant… I was thinking of a cookie that’s really good… wait, you’re like peanut butter cookies, especially ones with the chocolate kiss in the center. Peanut butter cookies aren’t too chewy or too hard…

Sarah: That’s it! Vegetarian meals for you all week! Sparks, eh?!?

That was all fact–no embellishments here! My husband finally admits his true feelings… I am just a chewy Chips Ahoy cookie to him. I guess I am gonna go now and eat some more of these cookies and wallow…

Triple Chocolate Oat Cookies

Servings: 18 cookies
Time: 30 minutes
Print

modified from the recipe for Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookies in Mark Bittman’s The Food Matters Cookbook

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon dark chocolate almond milk [regular chocolate milk would also work]
4 teaspoons cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugars. Gradually incorporate flours, oats, and baking powder, alternating with the milk, until the mixture is just moistened. Stir in vanilla extract and cocoa powder, and gently fold in chocolate chips. Scoop tablespoons of dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for about 10-12 minutes or until just crisp around the edges. Cool and enjoy! Makes about 18 cookies.

UPDATE: Though the aforementioned conversation REALLY did happen and was not embellished, Ben felt really sorry for even insinuating that I was “just” a mass-produced chewy Chips Ahoy cookie, because in his words, chewy Chips Ahoy cookies are pretty awesome and he was just trying to compare me to something else he liked. I just thought the whole exchange was hilariously funny and documented it for posterity. And because I am such a sweet wife, Ben even got meatloaf for dinner on Tuesday–the week of vegetarian meals did not happen… yet. 🙂 For the record, Ben has read and endorses this post.

Question of the Day: What kind of cookie are YOU? 🙂

Desserts, Other, Recipes

Study Break, aka Eggless Cookie Dough that’s safe to eat

December 13, 2010December 9, 2014 Sarah

I may or may not have just made some raw cookie dough [sans eggs] to help me with finals… just one large paper, one short essay, and one multiple choice exam stand in between me and FREEDOM!!!!

In case you’re interested in my rendition, ya know, if you may or may not want to join me in my cookie dough fest, I used about 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips + 1/8 cup white chocolate chips + 1/8 cup butterscotch chips. Deeelicious! My college friends and I used to buy tubes of store-bought cookie dough and tubs of funfetti frosting to munch on during girls’ nights. Brings back memories… gotta go, I don’t want to experience the memory of 2 am paper-writing! 🙂

Eggless Cookie Dough - safe to eat and enjoy!

Servings: lots
Time: 5 minutes
Print

from Cupcake Project

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk
any amount of any mix-ins you’d like – I used 3/4 cup total of semi sweet, butterscotch, and white chocolate chips but anything works!!

Directions:

Mix up in a bowl. Enjoy immediately, or refrigerate/freeze for future cookie dough cravings. 🙂

Cookies, Desserts, Recipes

Monster Cookies

November 10, 2010June 11, 2011 Sarah

So, I have this problem. It’s really really really hard for me to pick my favorite kind of cookie. I mean seriously. How can I choose between peanut butter, or chocolate chip, or oatmeal cranberry? And what about M&M cookies? Or cookies with peanuts? I’ll pick all of the above, please. But thankfully… sometimes problems have happy endings. Sometimes you can have your cake [cookie?] and eat it too. Now is one of those times.

To me, monster cookies are so great because they combine the best of the best. A peanut butter, oatmeal based cookie dough with bits of chocolate and nuts and dried fruit and candy. Ohmygoodnessdeliciousamazement. Plus, they can be totally customized to your desires and tastes and preferences without changing the integrity of the cookie. So, honestly, there isn’t much to say about these fantastic treats other than make them now. Because you know they’ll be good. As your custom creation they better be! 🙂

Monster Cookies [from Brown Eyed Baker]

Ingredients:

3 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon corn syrup
2 teaspoons baking soda
sprinkle salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups chunky peanut butter
4 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup honey roasted peanuts
1/2 cup pretzel M&Ms
1/2 cup plain M&Ms
1/4 cup butterscotch chips
1/4 cup white chocolate chips
1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup dried cranberries

Directions:

Add eggs, sugars, vanilla, corn syrup, baking soda, and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer. In a small bowl, whisk together butter and peanut butter. Fold into the egg mixture, then add flour and oats and mix to combine. Finally, fold in the add-ins [peanuts, M&Ms, chips, and cranberries]–I used a wooden spoon to do so because the bowl of my mixer was practically overflowing! Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour to set.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove from fridge and scoop dough onto cookie sheets in rounded tablespoons, using the spoon to press down slightly on each ball of dough to flatten it a little. Bake for about 10 minutes or until cookies are golden brown.

Note:

I made 24 cookies and one 8-inch cookie cake in a pie pan. The cookie cake was the result of an abundance of add-ins; I just pressed all the extras into the remaining dough. It was yummy!

Click here for the printable version: Monster Cookies

Question of the Day: What’s your favorite kind of cookie?

Cookies, Desserts, Recipes

Crispy Crunchy Chocolate Chip Cookies

October 7, 2010December 11, 2015 Sarah

So, I realize this is cookie recipe #2 for the week. Uh huh… no excuse really, I just like cookies. So I choose to share these recipes with you [you can thank me later] because they are just so good.

As you can tell by the name of the recipe, these are not your ordinary chocolate chip cookies. They are crisp and they crunch. Majorly. They have a definite old fashioned taste to them, which is so refreshing and different from your average chocolate chip cookie, I do believe. I’ve duplicated this recipe almost entirely from Life as Mom, but did add some honey roasted peanuts to the mix for a little salty/sweet combo that is absolutely divine.

Crispy Crunchy Chocolate Chip Cookies

[from Life as Mom]

1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
12 ounces chocolate chips
3/4 cup honey roasted peanuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In the bowl of a stand mixers, combine sugar, oil, and butter. Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla, mixing in between each item. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Gradually mix into wet ingredients. Fold in chocolate chips and peanuts. Drop dough by rounded tablespoons [use a metal spoon, this dough is too heavy for plastic] onto ungreased cookie sheets at least 2 inches apart. Bake for about 7-9 minutes or until set.

How do you like your cookies?

Personally, I love them warm out of the oven [who doesn’t?!], but for this recipe, I think they are best frozen–straight out of the freezer. YUM!

Breakfast, Muffins, Recipes

My Favorite Muffins

October 6, 2010December 11, 2015 Sarah

So, these muffins are the reason I have been so sad about the lack of pumpkin over the past year. However, pumpkin is BACK and I’ve got my fix. I’m a happy girl.

I’ve been making these pumpkin chocolate chip muffins for at least 10 years now. I used to make them so often in high school that I had the recipe memorized. There are three keys to success with this recipe… three things I would never change. And you shouldn’t either–trust me!

These muffins have to be made in mini muffin cups, with mini chocolate chips. I’m sure you can make them with regular chocolate chips and regular muffin tins, but they wouldn’t be the same.
You gotta use pumpkin pie spice. If you’re against buying spice blends, then make your own up using a recipe online like this. But don’t think subbing a little cinnamon and nutmeg on their own will work, because it won’t.
These muffins are begging to be made in huge quantities. A 15 ounce can of pumpkin will make twice this recipe… and you will still want more, even though you’ll have pumpkin chocolate chip muffins coming out of your ears.

I know that all sounds a little harsh… but it’s the hard truth, folks. These muffins are that good. Rules sometimes just have to be followed. [As if I have the authority to tell you what to do! HA!]

That being said, these muffins will rock your world. They are the right degree of sweetness and spice and everything nice. Pumpkin too. And chocolate. Don’t forget about the chocolate. No one component of these muffins is overwhelming, but they all mingle together to make a happy family! They are moist, tender, and have a soft crumb texture that is unbeatable. They also freeze well. These muffins are addicting and are great for breakfast, a snack, dessert, or anytime! The flavor gets better when they sit for a day or so, which makes them great to make ahead for a brunch or get together.

You’ll love ’em so much that you’ll even forget the sting of my rules! 🙂 You all know I was just kiddin’ right? 😉 Admittedly, this picture doesn’t do these muffins justice so you’ll just have to take my word on it. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins... simply the best! — yum-a-licious

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Servings: 48 mini muffins
Time: 30 minutes
Print

[from a cookbook of my mom’s… I only have a photocopy so I don’t know the exact source, sorry!]

Ingredients:

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 large eggs
1 cup pumpkin
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare mini muffin pans by greasing with cooking spray or lining with mini muffin cups [yield: 48!]. In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and baking powder. In the bowl of stand mixer, combine pumpkin, eggs, and melted butter. Fold in chocolate chips, then gradually incorporate dry ingredients until they are moistened. Scoop batter in muffin cups, filling about 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until they spring in the center with a light touch. Cool on a baking rack before storing.

What’s your favorite kind of muffin?