Inside Out Cookies

I made these cookies intending to bring them to my co-workers for a mid-week treat. Sorry! They were too good to share. As a bonus, they made the whole kitchen smell incredible, and they are really easy to whip up. Next time I will reduce the amount of white chocolate chips slightly (down to about 3/4 of a cup) since the cookie itself was so deliciously chocolately and brownie-like. I'll also make a double batch so I can share!

Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 cup white chocolate chips

Instructions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels. Drop by well-rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.
Bake for 11 to 13 minutes or until cookies are puffed and centers are set.

Yields 18 cookies.

Va Bene Caffe

My travels in Las Vegas led me to The Cosmopolitan Hotel and Va Bene Caffe. 

I tried the chocolate chunk cookie with milk and white chocolate chunks. The cookie was chewy and not overly sweet with plenty of chocolate chunks. I also appreciated that the cookie was not too buttery either. Chocolate was the dominant flavor, and the chunks added texture and some variety.

At $4.00, this cookie was expensive, but it definitely satisfied (especially since it was the only cookie I could see on any menu in the hotel). For more information, visit the hotel's website: www.cosmopolitanlasvegas.com.

 

Coconut Walnut Chocolate Cookies

I tried another Food Network cookie recipe since the Chip Mixers recipe was so successful. I did make a few modifications, and next time I would make others. The original recipe called for 3/4 teaspoon of salt and cashews instead of walnuts. 

Overall these cookies turned out well, but they were not as good as the chip mixers. When I make these again, I will reduce the amount of flour to make them more gooey.

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup sugar

1 stick butter

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup coconut

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Instructions

Cream sugar and butter. Add egg and vanilla and mix well.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Gradually add this mixture to the creamed butter mixture.

Stir in coconut and walnuts. Refrigerate cookie dough for 20 minutes.

Drop dough by well-rounded tablespoon onto baking sheets with parchment paper.
Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes. Cool completely before eating.

Yields 18 small cookies.

Cookies and Cream Cookies

Oreos and chocolate chip cookies are some of my absolute favorite treats. I cannot stop eating them once I start! I combined the two with this recipe. Be sure to refrigerate for a full 30 minutes. Also, next time I will chop the cookies into small pieces. 

What can you not stop eating?

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup butter or margarine, room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1 cup bite-sized Oreo cookies  

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Cream sugars and butter. Add egg and vanilla and mix well.

Gradually add the flour mixture to the creamed butter mixture. 

Stir in mini chocolate chips and Oreo cookies.

Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes.

Drop dough by well-rounded tablespoon onto baking sheets.
Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes.

Yields 18 cookies.

Cooperstown Cookies

I was so excited to win a recent contest put on by Cookies and Cups for a $25 gift card to Cooperstown Cookie Company! Cooperstown Cookie Company specializes in shortbread and offers a variety of baseball-themed cookie gifts. There are some really cute gifts perfect for any baseball fan. Spring training is coming up, so get a head start!

Now on to the cookies themselves! I sampled the three varieties of shortbread they offer: classic, chocolate chip, and lemon. The classic shortbread is excellent- buttery and flaky. The chocolate chip and lemon were similarly flaky, but the chocolate chip was not too flavorful while the lemon was very strong.

I also made my own using their cookie mix. These were easy to whip up (just add butter and vanilla), but they were not near as good as the pre-made cookies.

To order your own baseball shortbread cookie gifts, visit www.cooperstowncookie.com.

Chocolate M&M Cookies

M&M cookies are some of my favorites, so today I decided to add some more chocolate to make a chocolate M&M cookie. These definitely satisfied my craving for an M&M cookie. They were more cake-like than my previous chewy M&M cookies, so I'll make these again depending on what I crave...

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup sugar

1 stick butter

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup M&Ms

Instructions

Cream sugar and butter. Add egg and vanilla and mix well.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Gradually add this mixture to the creamed butter mixture. Stir in M&Ms.

Drop dough by well-rounded tablespoon onto baking sheets with parchment paper.
Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes.

Yields 12 cookies.

Chip Mixers

For Valentine's Day I made this appealing Food Network recipe for Mr. Sleuth.

I must say I was a little disappointed with them the evening I baked them. Yes, they were very buttery, and I could taste a hint of the brown sugar, but I mostly tasted butter. The next day, though, they lived up to their expectations. I was able to taste all of the flavors, and the cookies remained chewy and fresh. There is nothing better than a great make-ahead cookie! 

I made mine with an even mix of semi-sweet chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, and butterscotch chips. I also added more than the recipe recommended as the dough looked sparse initially. You would be safe adding double the amount.

On a side note, I always snack on chocolate chips or some other mix-in when I'm making cookies. This time I just had a few butterscotch chips, and my stomach started to churn. Maybe I can finally say something is too sweet for me...

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups of flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 sticks butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs

2 cups assorted chocolate chips

Instructions

In a small bowl whisk cups of flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

Beat butter and sugars until fluffy. Add in vanilla and eggs.

Gradually add in the flour mixture. Stir in chips. Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 and prepare baking sheets.

Roll dough into balls and place onto cookie sheets. Bake 8 to 12 minutes until light golden brown.

Yields 36 cookies.

Happy Birthday Cookie Sleuth!

One year ago today I wrote my first post on Cookie Sleuth. It has been quite a delicious year. I have had a wonderful time baking and searching for the greatest cookies and bringing them to you. 

Something I did not foresee was the wonderful friends I would make in the blogging community. Thank you all for your support, loyalty, and guidance. I have so enjoyed getting to know you all.

Finally, in honor of my one year anniversary, I have created a list of my Top 10 Recipes and my Top 10 Cookie Finds. Enjoy!

Top 10 Cookie Recipes
Red Velvet Sandwiches
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip
Mint Chocolate Delights
Chocolate Gooey Butter Cookies
Chocolate Rolo
Coconut Macaroons
Rich Chocolate Chip
Peanut Butter Delight
Lemon Cake Mix
Banana Walnut Chocolate Chip

Top 10 Cookie Finds

Blue Frog Bakery

Max Brenner

The Cravory

Big Island Candies

Uncle Biff's

Essential Chocolate Desserts

de Young Museum Cafe

BJ's Pizookie

The Sugar Me Bakery

Baby Cakes

Panera Bread- Chocolate Mint Cookie

I just tried Panera's new chocolate mint cookie. If you have ever wished for a softer version of a Girl Scout Thin Mint cookie, this is it. Looking at the cookie initially, I thought it was a chocolate crinkle, so I was even more thrilled when I found out it was mint! 

The edges were crispy, yet the middle was soft. Even more wonderful, there were chocolate chunks mixed in.

I enjoyed the traditional chocolate chip cookie, but I would pick the mint chocolate cookie over it any day.

The cookie will set you back $1.79. Visit www.panerabread.com for your closest location.