Sugar Cookies

*1/2 cup margarine, softened
*1/2 cup sugar
*1 egg
*1 Tbsp. milk
*1/2 tsp. vanilla
*1 1/4 cups flour
*1 tsp. Cream of Tartar
*1/2 tsp. baking soda
*1/4 tsp. salt

1.  In mixer, beat together margarine and sugar until fluffy.

2.  Beat in egg.

3.  Add milk and vanilla.  Mix well.

4.  Stir in all dry ingredients.  Mix just until fully incorporated, adding more flour if needed.  Dough should not be sticky.

5.  Roll dough about 1/4-inch thick onto floured surface.

6.  Cut with cookie cutters of desired shape.

7.  Bake 9-11 minutes at 350-degrees.

Triple Chocolate Chunk Cookies

My most favorite cookie!  When we lived in Halifax we discovered these insanely good cookies from the Atlantic SuperStore bakery.  There were to die for!  And a dozen of these babies never lasted long at our house.   (Like, two days at the most!)

I've been on a quest for the past seven years for a recipe to replicate those cookies.  I have scoured the internet for tips to achieve specific cookie textures because, although I mastered the flavor a while back, the texture was not what I wanted.  Finally, after lots of failed attempts, I've come close.  Not exact, but close enough that I, as picky as I am, am totally satisfied.

Ingredients:
*1/2 cup butter, softened (Allow to come to room temperature over several hours.)
*1/2 cup sugar
*1 cup brown sugar
*1 egg
*1 egg yolk
*1 tsp. vanilla
*1/2 cup cocoa
*1 1/2 cups flour

*1 tsp. baking powder
*1/4 tsp. salt
*1 cup assorted chocolate chips (milk chocolate, white chocolate, and dark or semi-sweet chocolate)

Directions:
1.  Combine flour, soda, and salt.  Mix and set aside.

2.  Using a whisk attachment, cream butter on high until fluffy.

3.  Add sugars.  Beat on high until well mixed.

4.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Beat until fully incorporated.

5.  Mix in cocoa powder.

5.  Switch to paddle attachment.  Mix in chocolate chips.

6.  Gently mix in flour mixture just until incorporated.  Do NOT over-mix!

7.  Roll into 1.5 oz balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet.

8.  Flatten slightly with bottom of drinking glass.

9.  Bake at 375-degrees for 9 minutes.  Do NOT over-bake!

Notes:
-Do not use margarine.  Real butter is a must for this recipe.

-Baking time may vary from over to oven.  I think it's better to have soft, gooey cookies than cookies that are too crisp because they baked too long.

-I have no idea how many cookies this recipe yields.  The full amount of dough never makes to the oven.  Lots of it ends up in my belly first.

-I suggest doubling this recipe.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

For years I have been on the search for a "perfect" chocolate chip cookie recipe.  My mom uses a wonderful recipe but her's requires a "secret" ingredient, one that I don't keep in my food storage.  When I have an impulse to make cookies, I want to know that I already have everything I need in my house so I've looked and looked and tried many different recipes.  I finally found one that fits the bill.

I discovered this recipe online a while back, made it one day and it was pretty darn good.  After some tweaking and experimenting, perfection was achieved.  And yes, the ingredient measurements are by weight.  And yes, you have to do it that way to get the perfect results.  I have learned that measuring by weight is the most accurate way to get not only the desired results, but consistency as well.

Ingredients:
*14.5 oz flour
*1 tsp. baking soda
*1 tsp. salt
*6 oz. butter, softened
*6.5 oz. brown sugar
*6.5 oz. white sugar
*2 eggs
*1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
*10-12 oz. chocolate chips.

Directions:
1.  Combine flour, soda, and salt in bowl.  Mix until evenly distributed, then set aside.

2.  Using a wire whisk attachment of a stand mixer, cream the butter until light and fluffy.  This may take anywhere from 1-3 minutes.

3.  Add both sugars and beat on high 1-2 minutes.

4.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Beat well.

5.  Switch to paddle attachment and gently mix chocolate chips.

6.  Add flour mixture and mix just until incorporated.  Do NOT over-mix!


7.  Dough should feel sticky but shouldn't actually stick much to your fingers.  Add a little more flour if needed.

8.  Measure and roll dough into 1.5 oz. balls.  Place on ungreased cookie sheet.

9.  Flatten ever so slightly.

10.  Bake at 375-degrees for 8-10 minutes.  (9 minutes is perfect in my oven.)

Notes:
-If making smaller cookies, bake for less time.

-These cookies freeze and thaw really well.

Recipe Source:  Adapted from theperfectchocolatechip.com

No-Bake Cookies

Ingredients:
*2 cups sugar
*1/4 cup cocoa powder
*1/2 cup milk
*1/4 cup butter or margarine
*1 tsp. vanilla
*pinch of salt
*1/2 cup peanut butter
*3 cups oats

Directions:
1.  Combine all ingredients except peanut butter and oats in sauce pan.

2.  Bring to boil for 1 minutes.  Remove from heat.

3.  Stir in peanut butter until smooth.

4.  Stir in oats.

5.  Drop by spoonful onto waxed paper or press into greased 9x13-inch pan and cut into bars or squares when cool.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
*1 cup butter or margarine, softened
*3/4 cup brown sugar
*1/2 cup sugar
*1 egg
*1 tsp vanilla
*1 tsp baking soda
*1 1/2 cups flour
*1 tsp salt
*3 cups oatmeal
*2 cups (or more) chocolate chips

Directions:
1.  Beat together margarine and sugars until fluffy.

2.  Mix in egg and vanilla.

3.  Add flour, salt and baking soda, mix well.

4.  Stir in oats and chocolate chips.

5.  Bake at 375 degrees for 9-11 minutes. (I only bake for 8 minutes because I like my cookies really soft.)

Notes:
-These cookies freeze really well.

Recipe Source:  Home Cookin', Smithfield 5th Ward 1993

Pumpkin Cookies

*1 1/2 cups brown sugar
*1/4 cup shortening
*1/4 cup applesauce
*2 eggs
*1 3/4 cups flour
*1 Tbsp. baking powder
*1 tsp. cinnamon
*1/2 tsp. nutmeg
*1/2 tsp. salt
*1/2 tsp. ginger
*2 cups chocolate chips

Combine sugar, shortening and applesauce, mix. Add eggs. Beat well. Add remaining ingredients and mix. Drop by spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes at 375 degrees. Makes approx. 3 dozen cookies.

From the Critics
Brittany: 10

Brooklyn: 10

Damon: 10