Tag Archives: Cookies

December 2, 2016 · 7:48 am

Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies: Chocolate Fudge Toffee Cookies

DAY 2: Chocolate Fudge Toffee Cookies

An easy to make rich dark chocolate drop cookie made with toffee chips and nuts. Slightly crispy outside, and soft gooey middles. A great cookie for chocoholics!

Just be sure to use silicone mats or parchment paper on your baking sheets, or the toffee pieces will stick to your pans.

RECIPE:

Chocolate Fudge Toffee Cookies

16 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped (about 2 ½ cups bittersweet chips)
½ cup butter
¾ cup sugar
¾ cup brown sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 ½ cups chopped walnuts or toasted almonds
1 ½ cups (8 oz bag) toffee chips

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper.

Place chocolate and butter in a medium saucepan and heat over low heat (or a double boiler) until melted and smooth, stirring often. Cool completely to room temperature.

Combine sugars, eggs and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Beat until mixture is light and fluffy. With the mixer on low speed, beat in the cooled chocolate.

Mix the flour, salt and baking powder together in a small bowl. Add to mixing bowl and beat until just combined. Mix in nuts and toffee chips. Let dough sit, at room temperature, for 15 minutes before scooping and baking.

Drop tablespoon-sized scoops of batter onto the lined baking sheets.

Bake for 8-10 minutes; do not overbake. Leave cookies on baking sheets for 5 minutes, and then use a thin metal spatula to remove them to a cooling rack.

Makes 4 dozen cookies

NoEmptyChairs.me

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Tagged as baking, chocoholic, chocolate, christmas, Cookies, dark chocolate, recipe, toffee, Twelve days of Christmas

December 1, 2016 · 7:35 am

8th Annual Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies: Snow Capped Christmas Trees

Welcome to December and No Empty Chairs’ 8th Annual Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies Celebration!

DAY 1: Snow Capped Christmas Trees

These Christmas trees are an easy way to make a cute sugar cookie without the hassle of frosting and decorating. And they are easy to stack and store. You could dress them up with additional sprinkles, but I prefer the clean look of the green and white.

Cookie baking at Christmas is a long-held tradition in our home. Another great Christmas tradition is service. Check out this link for ways to Light the World this Christmas season through Christlike service over the next 25 days:

#LIGHTtheWORLD

Another great place to find ways to serve in your local community:

JUSTSERVE.ORG

RECIPE:

Snow Capped Christmas Trees

3 cups sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sour cream
2 tsp vanilla
½ tsp almond extract (optional)
3 eggs
7 ½ cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
Green food coloring
About 12 oz white chocolate, or white melting candy discs

In a large mixing bowl, beat together sugar, butter, sour cream, vanilla and almond extract (if using). Beat in eggs. Add baking soda, salt and 5 cups flour, and beat until well mixed. Mix in a few drops of green food coloring. Beat in additional 2 ½ cups of flour to make a moderately stiff dough.

Chill for 20 minutes to 1 hour for easier handling. Roll out dough and cut out with Christmas tree cookie cutter.

Bake at 375°F for 10 -11 minutes; if they brown, it’s been too long. Cool on a wire rack.

Place white chocolate in a bowl at least as wide as the cookie sides you will be dipping. Microwave in 30 second increments, stirring after each heating, until melted and smooth. Dip each edge of the cooled cookies in the melted chocolate and place on waxed paper to harden.

Makes about 6 dozen cookies (using a 3″ cookie cutter)

NoEmptyChairs.me

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Tagged as baking, christmas, Cookies, dessert, justserve, lighttheworld, recipe, service

October 13, 2016 · 7:34 am

Halloween Spider Cookies

Looking for an easy way to turn a chocolate chip cookie into a chocolate spider cookie? A few melted chocolate chips and a piping bag are all you need!

Use your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe (mine is below) and cut the normal amount of chips you use about it half. After baking, add 3-4 chocolate chips to the tops of the hot cookies. Melt some more chips in a piping bag (or Ziploc bag) and use a narrow tip to pipe legs onto your spider bodies.

RECIPE:

Chocolate Chip Spider Cookies

¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup sugar
1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups flour
2 Tbs cornstarch
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 ½ cups chocolate chips, divided

Preheat oven to 375°F.

In a mixing bowl, beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, egg yolk and vanilla.

In a medium bowl, mix together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Beat into butter mixture. Stir in ½ cup chocolate chips.

Drop by tablespoonsful onto baking sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Gently press 3-4 chocolate chips onto the top of each HOT cookie (these will be the spider bodies). Cool cookies on wire racks.

Place remaining chocolate chips (about 3/4 cup) in a pastry bag or Ziploc bag. Microwave for 30 seconds. Knead bag with your fingers to melt chips. Heat for an additional 10-15 seconds, if necessary.

Using a very thin tip, pipe legs around the spider bodies (chocolate chips). Let chocolate harden completely before storing.

Makes 3 dozen cookies

NoEmptyChairs.me

Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies: Christmas M&M Cookies

DAY 12: Christmas M&M Cookies

Chewy delicious cookies made festive for the Christmas season.

I made these cookies with M&M’s designed for baking called “M&M’s Christmas Baking Bits” which are smaller than regular sized M&M’s. The mini-sized candies are less likely to split when baked.

RECIPE:

Christmas M&M Cookies

Preheat oven to 375°F.

In a mixing bowl, beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, egg yolk and vanilla.

In a medium bowl, mix together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Beat into butter mixture. Set aside 1/4 cup of the M&M’s. Stir remaining M&M’s and chocolate chips into the dough.

Drop by tablespoonsful onto baking sheets. Press a few of the reserved M&M’s into the top of each cookie ball. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

Makes 3 dozen cookies

NoEmptyChairs.me

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December 11, 2015 · 2:13 pm

Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies: Candy Cane Snowball Cookies

DAY 11: Candy Cane Snowball Cookies

These cute cookies come from Inside Bru Crew Life.

The cookies themselves are not at all sweet, but with the addition of the melted white chocolate and crushed candy canes, you end up with just the right amount of sweetness.

Great cookies for peppermint fans.

RECIPE:

Candy Cane Snowball Cookies

½ cup butter
1 cup powdered sugar (don’t pack tightly)
1 egg
½ tsp peppermint extract
½ tsp vanilla
¼ tsp salt
2 ¼ cups flour
4 oz white candy melts
8 whole candy canes, crushed

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease baking sheets, or use silicone mats.

In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat butter and sugar until creamy. Beat in egg and peppermint and vanilla extracts. On low speed, beat in flour and salt.

Shape dough into 1 inch balls and bake on prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Move cookies to a wire rack and cool completely.

Place white candy melts in a small microwave safe bowl. Cook on high for 30 seconds; stir. Add 20-30 seconds if not completely melted. Dip the tops of the cookies into the melted chocolate and then roll in crushed candy canes. Place on waxed paper to harden.

Makes about 3 dozen.

(Adapted from Inside Bru Crew Life)

NoEmptyChairs.me

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December 10, 2015 · 3:20 pm

Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies: Butterscotch Marshmallow Blondies

DAY 10 : Butterscotch Marshmallow Blondies

Blondies are a fast way to make a week’s worth of lunchbox treats for the kids. These have mini marshmallows that melt down and help keep the bars soft and gooey. You could also add some chocolate chips for a Smores-like flavor.

RECIPE:

Butterscotch Marshmallow Blondies

¼ cup butter, softened
½ cup white chocolate chips
2/3 cup flour
1 small package butterscotch pudding mix
½ cup brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup mini marshmallows
½ cup white or regular chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a square baking dish (8×8”) with nonstick foil.

In a small microwave safe bowl, combine butter and 1/2 cup white chocolate chips. Cook on high for 30 seconds. Stir. Cook for another 30 seconds if not completely melted.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, pudding mix, brown sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir in melted butter mixture. Mix in egg and vanilla until smooth. Stir in marshmallows and ½ cup white or regular chocolate chips (if using).

Press batter into prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes, or until center is barely set. Cool completely. Cut into squares to serve.

NoEmptyChairs.me