Category Archives: Cookies

Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies

Family favorites around here are chocolate chip cookies. Now the debate of what is the best is still up in the air but on vacation the nestle toll houses recipe is a fan favorite for the Lee’s. Every year when we get together for a family vacation we bake these for a sweet treats after dinner.

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cup ap flour (I always like to use 1 cup of whole wheat pastry flour if on hand)

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup white sugar

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 sticks (1 cup) of butter (mom uses 1/2 margarine) make sure it is room temp

2 eggs

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 package of semisweet chocolate chips ( we used mini allergy free chips)

1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Predirections:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Parchment paperline a cookie sheet.

Directions:

1. Mix well together with whisk in a medium bowl butter, sugars, and vanilla. Make sure the mixture is good and creamy. Add one egg at a time and incorporate after each addition. Set aside.

2. In a separate bowl mix together flour, soda, & salt. Add the mixed dry ingredients into the mixture with a wooden spoon. Once incorporated add nuts and chocolate chips.

3. Place the dough about 1 TB spoon amount on the baking pan and space about 1.5 inches apart and bake for 9 minutes. Be careful the amount of time & temperature depending on the darkness of the pan and the temp of the dough. We did have to decrease the temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 12 minutes. Remove from pan right away.

4. Enjoy quickly! They go fast!

You can tell when we are not in our own Kitchen, we have to resort to creative “mixing bowls”.

Mom Lee’s Peanut Butter Cookies

I was going through my grandma’s recipe books a few weeks ago. I stumbled across my Mom’s Famous Peanut Butter Cookies. These are the best peanut butter cookies ever! I maybe bias… Just saying. I love mom!

Pre directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a half sheet pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter

1 1/4 cups peanut butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp almond extract

1 2/3 cup sifted all purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (I made this change)

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 package of Reese’s peanut butter chips

Vanilla sugar for rolling the cookie balls in the dough (optional)

Directions:

1. Thoroughly cream butter, peanut butter,sugar, and almond extract in stand mixer. Add one egg at a time and incorporate after each addition.

2. In a separate bowl sift together flour, salt and soda. Blend the flour mixture into the creamed mixure.

3. Shape the dough into 1/4 cup balls; roll in granulated vanilla sugar

4. Place 2 inches apart on parchment paper on prepared half sheet pan. I only placed 6 to a half sheet pan. Place crisscross pattern with fork or my mother in law found me this adorable “I love cookies” stamp at our favorite kitchen store in the Strip District.

5.Bake at 375 degrees for 11-13 minutes. The magic number for me was 12. Remove from pan right away and allow to cool on cookie wire rack.

Banana Oat Cookies

I picked up a 1970’s cookie cookbook at a local loved flea market. I was reviewing the recipes this past weekend. I found many that peaked my interest. I found one in particular that I just couldn’t wait to try since I have an abundance of ripe bananas. I made many modifications to make the recipe more up to date and less sugar and transfat. I also added more whole grains as well. These cookies are crisp on the outside and light and fluffy in the inside.
Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup mashed ripe banana

1 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 3/4 cup 100% old fashioned oats

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil

1/4 cup canola oil

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 chopped walnuts

2 TB grounded flaxseed

1 egg

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground vietnesse cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and place parchment paper on 1/2 sheet pan and set aside.

2. In a medium to large bowl, mash bananas, coconut oil, and canola oil together. Add vanilla and egg to mix & whisk to incorporate. Set aside

3. In a separate medium bowl whisk together oats, flaxseed, flour, salt, soda, nutmeg and cinnamon. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet batter. Use spatula to fully incorporate the ingredients together leaving no dry residue. Lastly fold in walnuts until evenly distributed thought cookie batter.

4. Using a number 60 scoop portion out cookies 12 to 14 to a pan. Place the pan in oven for 10 minutes or until cookies form a light golden color on the exterior.

5. Remove from the pan immediately and cool the cookies on wire rack.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Cookies with Mint M&M’s

What better way to celebrate the month of March and welcome spring with some green! These can be a very versitile cookies. Prior to baking you can top them off with just about anything your heart desires. I ran out of mint M&M’s (since my husband found my stash) so I had to use some butterscotch chips at one point.

This recipe yields 54 cookies using a size 60 scoop.

Pre directions: preheat oven to 350 degrees and paperline two half sheet pans with parchment paper.

Ingredients:

2 cups of Ap flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

3/4 cup Dutch processed cocoa

2 large eggs

1 cup raw sugar

1 cup white sugar

1 stick unsalted butter (softened to room temp)

3/4 cup vegetable shorten

2 tsp pure high quality vanilla extract

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp kosher salt

162 Mint M&M’s

Cooking spray

Directions:

1. Cream butter, shorten, and both sugars in stand mixer on medium to medium high speed.

2. Add vanilla and eggs one at a time. Beat after each addition. Set aside.

3. In a seperate bowl whisk together both flours, cocoa, salt, and soda.

4. Gently add flour mixture to creamed batter and mix on low to incorporate.

5. Once everything is well mixed and without dry residue remove paddle attachment and scoop cookies onto the pan by using #60 scoop. Sccop evenly 12 cookies to a 1/2 sheet pan.

6. Spray bottom of drinking glass with cooking spray to flatten the cookie slightly.

7. Place 3 M&M’s to a cookie and press slightly to prevent the candy from falling out of place

8. Bake for 9 minutes on 350 degrees. Allow cookie to cool for 1 minute on tray and then remove to wire rack to cool the remainder of the way.

Enjoy !

Thin Mint Biscotti

It’s that time of year … Girl Scouts everywhere are selling their cookies! In honor of the all Girl Scouts past and present. Not to mention being a former Girl Scout myself. Oh yes troup 454! I decided to create a play off of one of the beloved flavors the thin mint. Also my husbands favorite (preferably frozen). I thought I would try a biscotti! Anything to go with a good cup of coffee.

Yields 14 large Biscotti

Biscotti Ingredients:

1 cup raw sugar

1 cup Ap flour

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp pure vanilla

1 cup chopped Andes mints

2 eggs

6 TB unsalted butter softened

1/2 cup Dutch processed cocoa (I love penzeys)

Chocolate Dip

1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips (I used Ghirdelli )

2 tsp coconut oil

1/2 tsp pure mint extract ( I used Watkins)

Directions:

On medium speed cream the sugar & the butter with paddle attachment.
Add one egg at a time and incorporate on low speed. Add vanilla & Mix to blend.
In a separate bowl mix together Cocoa, flours, salt, & baking soda.
Add the dry ingredients into the wet until fully incorporated (batter will be dry)
Fold in chopped Andes mints
Form a 12″ x 4″ log on a parchment lined baking sheet
Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
Remove the biscotti log from oven. Allow to cool for five minutes on pan. Remove log from sheet pan using parchment paper.
Place on cuting board and cut the log into 3/4 inch pieces.
Line pieces sideways back onto parchment lined pan and bake for eight minutes. Remove from oven.
Flip and bake for an additional eight minutes.
Allow biscotti to cool before dipping.
In a long microwave safe bowl (I used my fiestaware bread pan) melt Chocolate chips by microwaving in 30 second intervals until all chocolate is melted and no lumps remain. Once all the chocolate is melted add the mint extract and coconut oil stir with spatua to dissolve. Once you reach the desired constancy for dipping start dunking the biscotti as you wish. Set to dry on parchment paper.

Enjoy!

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies

What’s so special about these cookies?? Well number 1 they have one of my favorite ingredients and number 2 there is only 5 ingredients !! You cannot beat that! These are super quick and easy. And husband approved! Also if you are on a gluten free diet there is a bonus because these are gluten free! They are also dairy free. You can also make them no sugar added by using Splenda instead of sugar if you wish. This recipe was altered from Paula Deen’s Magical Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe

Yields: 51 cookies

Ingredients :
2 2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 cups of you favorite peanut butter (creamy or crunchy or even half and half)
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
Vanilla sugar for sprinkling (optional)

Directions:

Using a metal whisk mix in medium to medium large bowl the peanut butter, sugar and vanilla.

Add eggs and incorporate all ingredients thoroughly.

Using a size 60 scoop portion out 15 cookies onto a half sheet parchment lined pan.

Press with fork to make crisscross design and dust with vanilla sugar.

Bake for 13 minutes and remove from oven. Allow to cool for 1-2 minutes on pan then remove to wire rack to cool remainder of time and enjoy.

Mom’s Favorite “Copy That Almond Joy” Cookie

Growing up the running joke in my family’s house was always around the almond joy mini candy bars. My mom would always try to hide them from my dad, sister and I. Unfortunately for her we always found them (either in the freezer or in the drawer with the electronics). Every year for Christmas there are always almond joys in her stocking. This year I decided to make some from scratch. This recipe is pretty simple and no bake.

This recipe yields: 50 cookies using a #60 scoop.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup mashed potato (the original recipe called for Bob Evan’s Frozen Mashed Potatoes)
16 oz of sweetened coconut flakes
1 tsp of Mexican vanilla extract
4 1/4 cup powdered sugar
50 whole raw almonds
50 slivered almond pieces
12 ounces of your favorite chocolate, chopped finely (almond joys are traditionally milk chocolate) I used half semi sweet for 1/2 the cookies and half dark chocolate 70%)
2-3 tb vegetable shortened

Directions:
1. Mix with paddle attachment the mashed potatoes, coconut, vanilla and powdered sugar.

Refrigerate for for 30 minutes to an hour in order for the batter to set.

2. Take a # 60 scoop and form cookies into a ball and top with raw almond pressing into ball with a gentle touch.

Refrigerate or freeze the cookies for an hour.

3. Once the time has elapsed. Start to prepare chocolate and shorten in double boiler for dipping.

4. Place cookie on fork and spoon chocolate overtop the cookie. *Helpful hint it really helps if you have two people doing this my husband is an excellent helper and I enjoy our time in the kitchen together!) Make sure to cover the cookie in it’s entirety. Helpful hint we do this right over the bowl of chocolate so no chocolate goes to waste. Also make sure to allow for the excess chocolate to drip off prior to placing the cookie on parchment paper to cool.

Garnish with 1 to 2 slivered almonds. Allow the chocolate to harden prior to placing in tins or plastic containers. Do not freeze after dipping in chocolate. The chocolate will turn white.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Expresso Cookies

My husband and I took a holiday cookie class at one of our all time favorite places to venture in the strip district. These Expresso cookies are one of the many treats we baked amongst a flourless chocolate cake, Italian shortbread cookie and cream puff. We loved the Expresso cookie so much we made them for Christmas this year. I highly recommend taking either Enrico’s bread Class or cookie class for a memorable and delicious experience.

This recipe yields 63 cookies using a size 60 scoop

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 1/2 sheet pans with parchment paper. Set aside.

Directions:
1 1/2 cup ap flour
1/2 cup Dutch processed cocoa
2 sticks of cold unsalted butter (1/2 a pound)
2 tb of ground Expresso powder
3/4 cup powdered sugar

Ingredients:
1. Place all the ingredients in a stand mixer ( I have the professional series Kitchenaid which you want to made sure you start the on low speed and keep stand portion elevated and gradually lock into position as the dough starts to incorporate.

2. Mix until the mixer melts the butter. This can take time and differs. This method can take 5 to 8 minutes but it is like magic you will know when the dough is ready.

3. Portion out on 1/2 sheet pan using the number 60 scooper. Place cross design with fork like your favorite peanut butter cookie.

4. Bake in 350 for 12-14 minutes. Remove from pan right away and allow to cool on wire rack.

Enjoy! Only for adults!

Josh’s Favorite Gingersnap

I love the smell of these cookies in the oven! They are the perfect cookie if you are looking for a soft bite and will remind you of what grandma use to make. When I made these the first time my husbands said these are a “keeper”, which means for the Bakery someday ❤️. The original recipe was inspired by my favorite spice store and can be found here.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 cup ap flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 egg
1/4 cup of grandma’s molasses
3/4 cup vegetable shorten
2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp Vietnamese ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 ground cloves
1/3 cup raw sugar (to roll the cookies in)

yields 32 cookies using a size 60 scoop

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 and parchment paper line 1/2 sheet baking pans. Set side.

1. Whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking soda, spices) and set aside.

2. In a mixing bowl with paddle attachment cream granulated sugar and shorten. Then add egg and mix to incorporate.

3. Add dry ingredients a cup at a time on low speed. about half way through add molasses

4. Remove paddle attachment and start to scoop the batter into small balls using a size 60 scooper.

5. Place the raw sugar in a deep bowl to roll the spheres into prior to placing on the pan.

6. Roll the ball around to coat with sugar to its entirety. Place the sphere on pan three to a row and 15 to a half sheet pan. They really spread out beautifully.

7. Lightly flatten with a glass cup to allow for even baking.

8. Bake for 11 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool on pan for a minute then remove to finish cooling on a wire rack.

Enjoy! They don’t last long in my house!

Peanut Butter Pumpkin Raisin Cookies

I’ve been wanting to make a cookie with pumpkin purée and peanut butter for a while now. These are two of my favorite ingredients. I love peanut butter so much that I actually had a patient one time ask me if I worked for a peanut butter company (yes I recommend it that much). Not to mention pumpkins are in season and bountiful this time of year. This is a perfect fall cookie! Plus an added bonus this recipe is a quick and easy! Not to mention a good idea for a lunch box cookie for children and husbands.

This recipe yields 30 cookies.

Ingredients :
1/2 cup ap flour
1/2 whole wheat flour
2/3 cup old fashion oats (not quick oats)
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 kosher salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 Tb pure maple syrup
1/2 cup peanut butter or any nut butter
2/3 cup raw sugar
2/3 cup 100% pumpkin purée
1/2 cup raisins or (craisins would work well)
1 tsp pure vanilla

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Paper line with parchment paper a 1/2 sheet baking pan, set aside.