Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies

I got this recipe from Cook's Illustrated.

Avoid using a nonstick skillet to brown the butter; the dark color of the nonstick coating makes it difficult to gauge when the butter is browned. Use fresh, moist brown sugar instead of hardened brown sugar, which will make the cookies dry. This recipe works with light brown sugar, but the cookies will be less full-flavored.

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda
14 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 3/4 sticks)
1/2 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cups packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon table salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 1/4 cups chocolate chips
3/4 cup chopped pecan or walnuts, toasted (optional)

Instructions:
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 large (18- by 12-inch) baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.
2. Heat 10 tablespoons butter in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking, swirling pan constantly until butter is dark golden brown and has nutty aroma, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and, using heatproof spatula, transfer browned butter to large heatproof bowl. Stir remaining 4 tablespoons butter into hot butter until completely melted.
3. Add both sugars, salt, and vanilla to bowl with butter and whisk until fully incorporated. Add egg and yolk and whisk until mixture is smooth with no sugar lumps remaining, about 30 seconds. Let mixture stand 3 minutes, then whisk for 30 seconds. Repeat process of resting and whisking 2 more times until mixture is thick, smooth, and shiny. Using rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir in flour mixture until just combined, about 1 minute. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts (if using), giving dough final stir to ensure no flour pockets remain.
4. Divide dough into 16 portions, each about 3 tablespoons. Arrange 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
5. Bake cookies 1 tray at a time until cookies are golden brown and still puffy, and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft, 10 to 14 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack; cool cookies completely before serving.

Fudgy Peanut Butter Mousse Cups

This recipe won a holiday cookie contest in the Cook's Country magazine. They take some time to make but definitely worth it!

INGREDIENTS

1 (17.5 oz) package sugar cookie mix

1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped fine

2 Tbsp. flour

1 stick unsalted butter, melted

1 1/4 cups heavy cream

1 cup peanut butter

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup milk chocolate chips

PREPARATION

1. Toast pecans on a cookie sheet (I did 350 for about 5-8 minutes). Chop.

2. Grease 12 cup mini muffin tin. Combine cookie mix, pecans, and flour in a bowl. Slowly stir in butter until mixture resembles wet sand. Press 1 Tbsp. cookie mixture into bottom and sides of each muffin cup. Bake until golden, about 10 minutes. Cool 20 minutes in tin, then turn out cookies. Repeat with remaing dough.

3. With electric mixer on medium high speed, beat 1 cup cream to stiff peaks, about 2 minutes. In another bowl, beat peanut butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Fold in whipped cream.

4. Microwave chocolate and remaining cream in small bowl, stirring occasionally, until smooth, about 1 minute. Pour 1/2 tsp chocolate mixture into each cookie cup, then fill the cups with 1 Tbsp peanut butter mixture. Drizzle remaining chocolate evenly over cookies and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. (I put the chocolate mixture into a small ziploc bag and cut off a little on one of the bottom corners to make it easy for filling the cookie cups and drizzling on top.)

Oatmeal Cookies

INGREDIENTS
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda
3 cups oats

PREPARATION
Mix and bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes. I like to add chocolate chips or dried cranberries (so yummy!).

Our Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

Will is sneaking a taste

Lily says she is a Udall girl and wants to post too. So these are from her. Alli and I have this recipe memorized…that's how often we make these!

INGREDIENTS
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup butter
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour (we add 1/4 cup more because of altitude)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 cups chocolate chips (we love the milk chocolate ones)
chopped walnuts (optional -- we love adding them from our trees)

PREPARATION
Cream sugars & butter until light and fluffy. Add eggs & vanilla and mix well. Combine dry ingredients and add them to the batter. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.

Bake @ 350° on an ungreased cookie sheet for 10 minutes. Cool on cookie sheet for 5 min before transferring to a cooling rack. Enjoy!

Soft Ginger Cookies

A few friends & I went to a boutique where we bought the most delicious cookies. My friend Shauna found this recipe on All Recipes and I added the white chocolate and they taste just like the ones we paid 75 cents for. These are my new favorite cookies. Oh & they taste wonderful without the white chocolate too!

INGREDIENTS
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup margarine, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
1/4 cup molasses
2 tablespoons white sugar

PREPARATION
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Sift together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then stir in the water and molasses. Gradually stir the sifted ingredients into the molasses mixture. Shape dough into walnut sized balls, and roll them in the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar. Place the cookies 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet, and flatten slightly.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.