big and chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies and ramblings . . .

 

It feels like it's been weeks since I've sat down and shared a recipe or any 'at home' happenings. 

I've been happily busy the last few weeks with school parties and Halloween. Did you happen to see the photo I shared on my Instagram of the 5-inch pumpkin shaped sugar cookies I baked for Charley and Ford's classes? 

Little Lauren and I baked 54+ sugar cookies! 

I under-estimated the amount of batter and number of hours it would take to complete this baking project, but it was well-worth the energy and time! I had so much fun decorating them with their classmates . . . and Charley and Ford loved sharing one of our family traditions with their friends.

I feel so blessed to be a stay-at-home mom, as well as a Room Mom for Charley and Ford's classes this year!  

My 'TO DO list' is crazy long since returning home from an annual girls trip to Solvang with my mom and sister a few days ago. I managed to unpack, clean the house, and tackle 6 loads of laundry yesterday ((which is a relief!)), knowing that I'm going to have to spend the remainder of the week planning, organizing, and shopping for one of my busiest baking months of the year.

I have an order due for delivery next week that consists of 355+ baked goods, including cookies, muffins, and biscotti. Orders of this size require a crazy amount of planning and organizing to ensure a successful delivery.

I'm really excited to share many of the cookie and biscotti recipes with you over the coming weeks! They would make great additions to any holiday party or cookie exchange. 

Countless hours have been spent in this cozy chair (below) gathering recipes, writing lists, and ordering supplies for the upcoming orders. 

These amazing big and chewy oatmeal chocolate chunk cookies will be a few of many cookie varieties included in 20 gift baskets to be delivered early next week.

The photos in this post are of the ones that I made for my sister's birthday last weekend. We took them on our trip . . . and my mom and sister enjoyed them when they craved something hearty and sweet. The recipe calls for 3 cups of good old-fashioned rolled OATS! 

My sister took a bite of one of them and asked me, "So what is this cookie called? HEAVEN in my mouth!?" I'm pretty sure I laughed out loud. And yes, they're really that good!!

They're another WINNER from Cook's Illustrated. 

What I love about them - besides that the recipe calls for 3 cups of old-fashioned oats (NO quick-cook oats here!) - is that NUTMEG is the spice of choice, instead of cinnamon. It's definitely not your typical oatmeal cookie ingredient, but it's PERFECTION paired with the flavor of the OATS. 

I made them BIG! . . . because that's how I think oatmeal cookies should be. 

These photos are a little deceiving, as they don't show the actual size. I made them using a 1/4-cup ice cream scoop. So they really are  . . . BIG, thick, and chewy! 

I couldn't think of a better way to spend a cozy Fall or Winter evening than with a warm batch of Cook's Illustrated's big and chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies. I hope you enjoy the recipe, too!

thick and chewy 

Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies

 .     .     .     .    .     .

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

3 cups old-fashioned oats *NOT instant or quick-cook oats

1 1/2 cups chocolate chunks

 .     .     .     .    .     .

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and both sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Add the eggs, one at a time, until well combined. With the mixer on low, gradually add the dry ingredients, beating just until combined. Mix in the oats and chocolate chunks until evenly distributed in the dough.

Divide the dough into 2 tablespoon balls and place on the prepared baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between them. Bake for about 15-18 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are golden brown (the centers will still be pale – don’t over-bake).

Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack and let the cookies cool a few minutes before removing them to the rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough (be sure to let the baking sheet cool in between batches).

Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Makes about 18 cookies

courtesy Cook's Illustrated

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molasses spice cookies . . .

My husband  had a craving for cookies over the weekend, and I wracked my brain trying to think of a cookie that features all the warm flavors of Fall . . . and remembered a recipe for molasses spice cookies that I saw in my Cook's Illustrated Cookbook a few weeks ago.

They're tender, moist, chewy . . . and FULL of the warm flavors of Fall . . . cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice, molasses . . . and they're so so so yummy!

We even made a few of them into ice cream sandwiches using vanilla bean ice cream . . . YUM!

As for me, I enjoyed them with a cup of Brown Sugar Cake coffee (I LOVE Gloria Jean's!) . . . again, YUM!

I hope you find time to treat yourself and your family and friends to these amazing little cookies this weekend.

molasses spice cookies

1/2 cup,  plus 1/3 cup granulated sugar

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 large egg yolk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup light or dark molasses

.     .     .     .     .     .     .

Preparation

Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. 

Place 1/2 cup granulated sugar on a plate or shallow baking dish.

Whisk flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice, pepper, and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside.

Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat butter, brown sugar, and remaining 1/3 cup granulated sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium low and add egg yolk and vanilla, beat until incorporated. On medium-low speed add molasses and beat until combined, about 20 seconds scraping down bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture; beat until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Give the dough a final stir to ensure that no flour pockets remain. Dough will be soft.

Working with 1 Tablespoon of dough at a time, roll into balls. Roll half of dough balls in sugar and toss to coat. 

Place the dough balls 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough.

Bake 1 sheet at a time until cookies are browned, still puffy, and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft (cookies will look raw in between cracks and seem underdone), about 11 minutes. 

Do not overbake.

Let cookies cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature.

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Stephanie Lynn, It's Overflowing, Twelve O Eight, Carrie This Home, Baking in Pajamas, Huckleberry Love, Dwellings, Smart Party Planning,  The Dedicated House, Mod Vintage Life, Lori's Culinary Creations, Home Stories, StoneGable, An Extraordinary Day, I'm Not a Trophy Wife, Between Naps on the Front Porch, Rustic Refined,  Tumbleweed Contessa, A Stroll Thru Life,, Life With Garnish. Elizabeth & Co,  My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia, Savvy Southern Style, The Recipe Critic, Janine Huldie, Carolyn's Homework,  Fluster Buster   Designs by Miss Mandee,  Craftie Allie,  Wednesday morning The Blissful Bee,  The Newlywed Pilgrimage,  Chic California, Lamberts Lately, Live Laugh Rowe, Sweet Bella Roos, The Charm of Home, From My Front Porch to ours, Delightsome Life., Posed Perfection, Katherine's Corner, Nancherrow, The Freshman Cook,  Jann Olson, Home  Maid Simple,  Rooted in Thyme, Everyday Enchanted Home, Pure Grace Farms A Dish of Daily Life, Bacon Time, Sunflower Supper Club, Tater Tots and Jello,  Cooking with Curls, Made from Pinterest, Simply Gloria, One More Time Events, 3 Little Greenwoods

brown butter brown sugar cookies

These chewy, moist, and delicious cookies have quickly become a favorite for me and my family (next to the sugar cookie).

What makes them so special is the butter (and the brown sugar!). Instead of whipping room temperature butter until it's light and fluffy, like most traditional cookies, you brown the butter in this recipe.

Have you ever browned butter before?

It's a simple process of melting butter in a sauce pan and stirring it over medium heat until it browns. The darker the butter browns, the more it smells and tastes like toffee. Yum. Can you see where I'm going with this?

Browning the butter makes for a more buttery, toffee flavored cookie. And it is so darn good.

You can bake this recipe into cookies, or a cookie pie.

Since hot Summer days deter me from leaving my oven on for too long, I find it quick and easy to bake a cookie pie . . . and then I slice it up and serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

              . . . or how about a soft scoop of Pumpkin ice cream in the Fall!?

brown butter brown sugar cookies

24 cookies

.     .     .     .     .     .     .

14 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 3/4 sticks)

1 3/4 cups packed dark brown sugar

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour plus 2 tablespoons

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon table salt

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

1 tablespoon vanilla extract
.     .     .     .     .     .     .
TOPPING
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar

.     .     .     .     .     .     .

Preparation

In 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat, heat 10 tablespoons butter until melted, about 2 minutes. Continue to cook, stirring constantly until butter is dark golden brown and has nutty aroma, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and transfer browned butter to the heat-proof bowl of a stand mixer. Stir remaining 4 tablespoons butter into hot butter to melt; set aside to cool for 15 minutes.

While butter is cooling, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

In shallow baking dish or pie plate, mix granulated sugar and 1/4 cup packed brown sugar, rubbing between fingers, until WELL combined; set aside.

In medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and baking powder; set aside.

Add remaining 1 3/4 cups brown sugar and salt to bowl with cooled butter; attach paddle and mix on medium-low speed until no sugar lumps remain, about 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula; add egg, yolk, and vanilla and mix on medium-low speed until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds. Scrape down bowl. Add flour mixture and mix until just combined, about 1 minute.

Roll two heaping tablespoons of dough into ball between your palms, roll the ball in the sugar mixture, and then place it on the prepared baking sheet spacing the balls about 2 inches apart (you should be able to fit 12 cookies on each sheet).

Bake one sheet at a time until cookies are browned and still puffy and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft (cookies will look raw between cracks and seem underdone); 12 to 14 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking.

Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack and let the cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes then using a wide metal spatula, transfer the cookies to the rack to cool completely.

Recipe Note: Use fresh brown sugar, as older (harder and drier) brown sugar will make the cookies too dry.

recipe courtesy of Cook's Illustrated

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white chocolate & macadamia nut cookies

I love Sundays.

It's a day of rest in our home.

We attend church . . . snuggle and nap . . . watch movies . . . play games . . . and take a break from our weekly routines.

One of my favorite Sunday afternoon activities is baking cookies. We enjoy them right out of the oven, even if it happens to be right before dinner.  It's a Sunday tradition that I hope our kids remember into their adulthood.

My recipe for Extraordinary Chocolate Chip Cookies is a favorite Sunday bake, but I thought I would make something extra special over the weekend, since Valentine's Day is just days away . . . and white chocolate and macadamia nut cookies are one of my sweetheart's favorite cookies. 

We enjoyed them right out of the oven with milk and Valentine inspired paper straws. 

This recipe bakes up 72 yummy, golden, soft, and chewy cookies!

Ingredients

makes 72 cookies

1 ½ cups butter, room temperature

1 ¼ cups granulated sugar

1 ¼ cups packed brown sugar

1 ½ Tablespoon vanilla

2 eggs, room temperature

4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

2 cups white chocolate chips

2 cups chopped macadamia nuts

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F 

In large bowl, beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs and continue to beat until light and fluffy. Mix in flour, baking soda and salt. Stir in white chocolate chips and nuts.
Refrigerate dough for up to an hour. 

On ungreased cookie sheet, drop dough by tablespoonfuls or a cookie/ice cream scoop 2 inches apart.

Bake 11 to 13 minutes or until light brown (centers will be soft). Cool 1 to 2 minutes, and then remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack.

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Snickerdoodle cookies

"Mom, can we bake cookies today?"

I have a hard time saying no to baking cookies.

It's something that I enjoy doing with my kids. Everyone is eager to help out, and although I have quite a mess to clean up afterwards,  their efforts, giggles, and happiness make it all worth it.

We pondered what cookies to make, and Snickerdoodles came to mind.

Since we're at the end-of-Summer, and quickly approaching Fall . . . I thought Snickerdoodles would make a perfect cookie for this time of year . . . 

        . . . a soft and chewy sugar cookie covered in one of Fall's favorite spices . . . cinnamon.                                                         YUM!

I love Snickerdoodles any time of year, but I think they're best at the end of Summer, just before we welcome Fall.

It's the mild flavored sugar cookie rolled in a sugar & cinnamon mixture that make this the perfect combination.

A little bit of Summer wrapped in a whole lot of Fall . . .  that's how I describe a Snickerdoodle!

There's a secret to making these cookies tender and chewy.

Besides having the right recipe . . . baking them at a lower temperature, and for the right amount of time, is also key.

I bake these cookies at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 minutes, and then pull them out of the oven and let them sit on our counter-top for several minutes.  Although they look a little under-cooked, they continue to bake on the cookie sheet to a perfect tender, chewiness!

There's something so satisfying about these cookies . . . maybe its that the crinkles that develop on top that are filled with sugar & cinnamon . . . or maybe it's their soft texture and moist insides . . . whatever it is . . . they're so delicious!

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 egg, room temperature

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

.     .     .     .     .     .     .

for rolling the sugar dough
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preparation

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars with an electric mixer on high speed. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until smooth.

In another bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking soda, and cream of tartar.

Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix well.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees while you let the dough rest for at least 60 minutes in the refrigerator.

In a small bowl, combine the sugar with the cinnamon for the topping.

Take about 2 1/2 tablespoons of the dough and roll it into a ball. Roll this dough in the cinnamon/sugar mixture and press it onto an cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. 

Repeat for the remaining cookies.

Bake the cookies for 12 to 14 minutes and no more. The cookies may seem under-cooked, but will continue to bake after they are removed from the oven. When the cookies have cooled they should be soft and chewy in the middle.

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