The New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies

I never did end up getting a picture of these cookies. I would only bake 8 at a time and they would just disappear!

Ingredients:

2 c. minus 2 T. cake flour

1 2/3 c. bread flour

1 1/4 t. baking soda

1 1/2 t. baking powder

1 1/2 t. coarse salt

1 1/4 c. unsalted butter

1 1/4 c. light brown sugar

1 c. plus 2 T. granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 t. vanilla extract

1 1/4 lbs. chocolate chips*

* 1 lb chocolate chips = 2 2/3 c. -- I used what I had which was normal semisweet, white chocolate, and mini chocolate chips

Recipe:

1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl and set aside.

2. Using a mixer with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy - about 5 minutes.

3. Add eggs. Stir in vanilla. Reduce to low speed and slowly add dry ingredients until just combined.

4. Fold in chocolate chips. Refrigerate dough for 24-36 hours.

5. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 F. Drop spoonfuls of dough onto baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Rating: 5 of 5

I have low self-esteem when it comes to making chocolate chip cookies. Just chocolate chip cookies. Why? Well, because it doesn't matter what I do, they never turn out! But, this recipe actually works for me. I don't know why, but I didn't have a single bad batch, or cookie for that matter, over the 3 days that it took me to bake all the dough. To get a good soft cookie after it cools though, you need to drop enough dough to almost make a golf ball (which is my guess since I'm really not that familiar with golf balls....so let's say a ping pong ball since I do know those). These cookies are just so good! Oh yeah, I definitely don't think you need to refrig for 24-36 hours. I made my first batch after a 4 hour stint in the fridge and they turned out just the same as the dough that stayed in for the allotted time.

Source: I Am Baker, Chocolate Chip Cookies

Orange Vanilla Cookies

Ingredients:

2 c. flour, sifted

1 t. salt

1 t. baking soda

1 c. butter, room temp

1/2 c. baker's sugar (or sub with normal sugar and add a few extra tsp.)

3/4 c. brown sugar

2 eggs

1/4 c. orange zest, fresh (about 3 medium oranges)

juice from one orange, about 1/4 c.

1/4 c. shredded coconut, sweetened

1 c. white chocolate chips

1/2 t. coconut extract

1/2 t. vanilla extract

Recipe:

1. Sift flour, salt, baking soda together. Set aside.

2. In separate bowl, cream butter and sugars with electric mixer.

3. Beat in eggs, vanilla, and coconut extracts. (don't over beat) *

4. Gradually add the combined dry mix.

5. Add shredded coconut, orange zest, orange juice and combine.

6. Stir in white chocolate chips.

7. Place dough in glass or metal mixing bowl, cover with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 45 minutes, till very firm/frozen. (Dough can stay in freezer if you want to bake another day, but bake dough frozen.)

8. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

9. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.

10. Bake batches of cookies on parchment-lined sheet, making about a tablespoon-sized, small round. (smaller cookies work better for this recipe.)

11. Bake about 10-12 minute, till only lightly browned on edges. Check at 8 minutes.

12. When ready, remove from oven and cool on parchment on a cookie rack.

*At this point, I actually did steps 3, 5, and 6 (without the individual mixings) and combined them at once. I then went back and did step 4.

Rating: 3 of 5

Since I loved the Lemon Crinkle cookies, I thought that these orange ones would be pretty good too. I didn't like the texture of even the taste that much. I was expecting a much stronger orange taste I guess. But, LaDon and Ally liked them a lot, so I can't rate it too low.

Source: The Dinnervine, Orange Vanilla Cookies

White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients:

1/2 c. butter, room temperature

2 1/2 c. powdered sugar, sifted

1 t. vanilla extract

125 g. (1/2 c.) white chocolate, melted

Recipe:

1. Beat the butter in a bowl until light and fluffy on medium speed.

2. Add the vanilla and mix well.

3. Decrease the speed to low and slowly beat in the powdered sugar, 1/2 cut at a time.

4. Add in the melted white chocolate and beat until well incorporated. Frost cooled brownie slices.

Rating: 4 of 5

I thought this frosting was pretty good. The white chocolate is barely there and adds a nice taste. Super easy to put together.

Source: Food Wanderings in Asia, White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Root Beer Float Cookies

Ingredients:

1 c. unsalted butter at room temperature

1 c. granulated sugar

1 c. light brown sugar, packed

1 large egg

1/2 c. vegetable oil

2 T. milk

1 t. vanilla

1 T. + 2 t. root beer concentrate *

3 1/2 c. flour

1 t. cream of tartar

1 t. baking soda

1/8 t. salt

1 1/2 c. white chocolate chips

* So, I didn't have any root beer concentrate on hand. Instead, I just did 2 t. vanilla (in addition to the 1 t. vanilla already called for) and 1 T. root beer)

Recipe:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place butter and sugars in large bowl. Using electric mixer at medium speed, cream. Beat in egg. Continue to beat until mixture is fluffy.

2. beat in oil, milk, vanilla, and root beer concentrate.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Add to butter mixture and mix until combined.

4. Fold in white chocolate chips.

5. Drop a ball of 2 T. of dough at a time onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 10 minutes.

6. Let cool five minutes on the cookie sheet and then transfer to a wire rack.

Rating: 4 of 5

So, with my lack of root beer concentrate they sure did not taste like root beer. Not in the slightest. However, they made really good vanilla cookies! Seriously! Put strawberry cheesecake ice cream between two cookies and you've made the ice cream sandwiches they eat in paradise. Anyways....gonna have to try this recipe again with the concentrate.

Source: Heat Oven to 350, Root Beer Float Cookies