Adventures in Producing Cookies

I don't do cookies. I love to cook, love to bake, love to try new recipes. But I cannot remember the last time that I made cookies. I have my reasons for this - first of all, my mother in law makes the best cookies ever. Ginger snaps (my fav), chocolate chip, white chocolate, sugar, peanut butter. And they are all fabulous. I could never compete; nor do I want to. I would much rather enjoy her perfect cookies then go to the hassle of dropping ball after ball of dough onto the pan. Only for them to turn out raw or hard or irregular or falling apart. My patience is better suited to throw it all in a pan, put it in the oven, and move on to the next task for the day.

Well, I recently volunteered to make cookies for the Easter Sun Run. I figured there was always the Target Tollhouse cookies in the bakery section if there were any minor emergencies. And if not, hopefully the runners would be so famished that they wouldn't care how bad my cookies were.

So I set out with a new recipe to make a double batch of Double Chocolate Cookies. Sounds like a great reward on the horizon. Well, I have to say that it took a bit to work out some bugs and the first batch came out looking a little frazzeled. My patience gave in quickly, but good thing Corey was here to talk me down. And I have to say that by the end they were looking and tasting pretty good! I used a gadget that I have never used for cookies before - it is like an ice cream scoop only smaller. Definate must have. I am pretty proud to say that those cookies didn't get the best of me and I ended up with something even my mother in law would be proud of!



Here is the recipe since you are more likely to make the cookies yourself then get a batch from me.

Double Chocolate Cookies

1 pkg (12 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
1 1/2 c granualted white sugar
1 c butter, softened
2 t vanilla
2 eggs
2 c all purpose flour
1/3 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt

Preheat oven to 375*. Melt 1/2 cup chips in a microwavable bowl (about 30 seconds or until melted). Be sure the bowl is absolutely dry before adding chocolate chips. Stir and set aside.

Beat together sugar, butter and vanilla on medium speed until creamy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, and beat until light and fluffy. Stir in the cooled, melted chocolate chips.

Gradually add flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt, beating on low speed until well blended. Stir in remaining chocolate chips.

Shape dough into 1 1/4 inch balls (or use the gadget) and arrange 2 inches apart on ungreased or parchment lined cookie sheets. (I preferred the parchment).

Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until set and cookies are just beginning to crack on the surface. (My oven and altitude preferred 11 to 12 minutes). Remove cookie sheet from oven and cool cookies for 2 minutes undistrubed on pan; remove to wire racks to cool completely. (I found this to be BAD advice; Let cool for awhile, maybe 10 minutes, and then move to a rack).

Variations: Substitute 1/2 cup of white baking chips, peanut butter chips or butterscotch chips for 1 cup of the semi-sweet chips. Use these as the chips that are being added to the dough whole rather than being melted.