Desserts: Cookies :: Leslie Durso

Archive for Desserts: Cookies

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies

By Leslie · Comments (4) · January 4th, 2012

Ok, enough with the diet friendly snacks right? Well, these cookies are not entirely bad for you… Like I said, you don’t want to deprive yourself of any of those foods you love right?! Let’s face it, if you are going to cheat… these cookies could be your perfect option. I adapted the recipe from my original chocolate chip peanut butter cookies to make them vegan. So between them being vegan and gluten free, these suckers are extra tempting

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies (Gluten free and Vegan)

Makes about 2 dozen cookies

What you’ll need:

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

2 tbsp. cornstarch dissolved in 2 tbsp. water

1 tsp baking soda

½ cup extra dark chocolate chips

What you’ll do:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all ingredients except chocolate chips. When blended, fold in the chocolate chips. Form 1 1/2 inch balls and flatten into a pancake shape and place on an un-greased cookie sheet. Bake for 9 minutes. Let the cookies sit on the cookies sheet for about 30 seconds to 1 minute before letting cool on a wire rack.

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Comments (4)

Categories : Desserts: Cookies, gluten free, recipes, Vegan

Sugar Cookies with Coconut Frosting

By Leslie · Comments (5) · January 28th, 2011

Mmmm Mmmm Mmmm! Coconut is so yummy! And I have to credit this cookie to my friend Autumn. While we were planning the menu for our friend Ashley's Baby Shower, she wanted to have sugar cookies and something with coconut, so voila! The sugar cookie with coconut frosting was born!

Sugar Cookies with Coconut Frosting

What you'll need:

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

16 tablespoons (2 sticks) of really good unsalted butter, room temp.

1 cup white sugar

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Frosting:

1/4 cup coconut milk

2 cups powdered sugar

a couple cups of shredded coconut

What you'll do:

Heat your oven to 375 degrees.

Line your baking sheets with silpat, parchment paper or spray with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda and salt together and set aside.

Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a big bowl with a hand mixer, cream the butter with both the sugars and mix till combined. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Gradually add in the dry ingredients in 3 batches blending well in-between.

Get your hands wet with warm water and roll 1-inch balls with your fingers. Place on the cookie sheet.

Bake for 12-16 minutes or until the edges just start to turn golden. Let the cookies cool on the sheet for about 2 minutes before removing and placing on a wire rack. Let them cool to room temperature before frosting.

For the frosting:

Combine the sugar and coconut milk and mix well. (It will be on the thin side and will harden on the cookies) Spread the frosting on the cookies and sprinkle with the shredded coconut.

Do not stack the cookies until the frosting has hardened which should take about an hour.

Enjoy!

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Tools I used:

Cookie Sheets

Kitchen Aid

Comments (5)

Categories : Desserts, Desserts: Cookies, Valentines Day Ideas

Cranberry, Oatmeal, Butterscotch Chip Cookies

By Leslie · Comments (11) · January 12th, 2011

I know it may sound strange, but I am totally digging the combination of butterscotch and cranberry! Don't knock it till you try it! It's super yummy and tastes like winter.

Cranberry, Oatmeal, Butterscotch Chip Cookies

What you'll need:

1 1/4 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temp.

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs, room temp.

2 tsp. vanilla

2 cups oatmeal (quick oats)

2 cups of dried cranberries, chopped

11 oz. butterscotch chips

What you'll do:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees

Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a bowl. In a stand mixer or a bowl with a hand mixer, cream the butter with the two sugars. Add the eggs one at a time and the vanilla. Gradually add the flour mixture, making sure to mix well between additions.

Fold in the oatmeal, chopped cranberries and the butterscotch chips.

Drop a ball of dough onto a baking sheet about 1 tbsp. big (the size of a ping pong ball)

Bake for 7-8 minutes. Remove and let cool on a cooling rack. (or eat them how I like them, warm right away!)

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Comments (11)

Categories : Desserts: Cookies

Cashew Chocolate Chip Cookies {Gluten Free}

By Leslie · Comments (4) · December 8th, 2010

Why not give Santa some gluten free, low-cal cookies this year? Trust me, he'll be asking for these scrumptious cookies year round! I know a lot of people say, "tastes just like the real one", but seriously, these cookies are insanely delicious! The cashew butter makes then rich, savory and decadent and the chocolate chips balance out with the perfect sweetness! They are just crisp on the outside and chewy in the middle. And with only 5 ingredients they come together in minutes!

Cashew Chocolate Chip Cookies

What you'll need:

1 cup cashew butter {think peanut butter but with cashews}

1 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. baking soda

1 egg

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

What you'll do:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all ingredients except chocolate chips. When blended, mix in the chocolate chips. Using your hands, form 1 1/2 inch balls and flatten into a pancake shape and place on an un-greased cookie sheet. Bake for 9 minutes. Let the cookies sit on the cookies sheet for about 30 seconds to 1 minute before letting cool on a wire rack.

I think they are yummiest warm, but still fabulous at room temp : )

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If you like this recipe, you'll also love it made with peanut butter!

Comments (4)

Categories : Desserts: Cookies, gluten free, Valentines Day Ideas

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies

By Leslie · Comments (7) · September 13th, 2010

Is mid-September too early to break out the pumpkin recipes? I don't think so. It is after labor day. And I have put away all my summer whites. . . What better way to welcome fall then with some yummy-in-my-tummy cookies!?

Don't be afraid, put that bikini away and start baking! Fall is coming!

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies

What you'll need:

1 1/4 cup flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tbsp. cinnamon

1/2 tbsp. nutmeg

1 tbsp. ground ginger

1 tbsp. salt

1/2 cup butter, soften

1 cup pumpkin puree (canned is fine. You can even use pumpkin pie mix for extra yummy)

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 egg

2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

2 cups oats

chocolate chips

What you'll do:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Sift the flour, baking soda, spices and salt into a bowl and set aside.

Cream the butter with the sugars until smooth. Add the egg and vanilla and mix well. Blend in the pumpkin. Then gradually add in the flour mixture.

Fold in the chocolate chips and oats.

Using a teaspoon or cookie scoop, place large gum-ball size dollops on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silpat.

Now you can either bake as is, or if you like really salty cookies like me, you can sprinkle some salt on the dough before baking.

Bake for 9 minutes.

Enjoy!

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Comments (7)

Categories : Desserts: Cookies, Vegetables: Pumpkin

Chocolate Chip Caramel Cookies

By Leslie · Comments (12) · July 27th, 2010

Yummy in my tummy!! I think I’ve discovered they chewiest, gooiest cookie ever!! I’ve had a minor obsession recently with salted caramel and chocolate. So I decided to create some sort of variation at home.

I know they don’t look like much but trust me, give them a try!

Chocolate Chip Caramel Cookies

Makes 4 dozen (if you can keep yourself from eating all the dough)

What you’ll need:

2 1/4 cup flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1 cup butter, room temp. And homemade makes the best cookies! Click here for recipe.

1/2 cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

2 eggs

1 12oz. package of mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

about 8 soft caramel chews

1 tbsp. milk

What you’ll do:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Mix the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.

In a small pot, place the milk and the unwrapped caramels over low heat. Stir until it’s nice and smooth and remove from heat.

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars. Next add in the vanilla and eggs. Slowly add the flour mixture in batches. When it’s all incorporated, using a rubber scrapper, mix in the chocolate chips and then drizzle in the caramel. You just want to fold the caramel in so there are nice ribbons of it running through the dough.

Scoop 1 inch balls onto a cookie sheet and bake for 8 minutes.

Remove and cool on a cooling rack.

Enjoy!!

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Comments (12)

Categories : Desserts, Desserts: Cookies, Valentines Day Ideas

Peanut butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

By Leslie · Comments (14) · May 17th, 2010

These cookies are in my top 5 all-time favorites! They are soo good and I like to call them guilt free cause they have no flour and no butter : ) I hope you enjoy as much as I do!

PS try not to eat the entire batch in one afternoon! ; )

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes about 2 dozen cookies

What you’ll need:

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp baking soda

½ cup milk chocolate chips

What you’ll do:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all ingredients except chocolate chips. When blended, mix in the chocolate chips. Using your fingers, form 1 1/2 inch balls and flatten into a pancake shape and place on an un-greased cookie sheet. Bake for 9 minutes. Let the cookies sit on the cookies sheet for about 30 seconds to 1 minute before letting cool on a wire rack.

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Comments (14)

Categories : Desserts: Cookies

Chocolate Chip Oreo Cookies

By Leslie · Comments (6) · May 10th, 2010

Can't decide between and oreo and a chocolate chip cookie? Why not have both!? These tasty cookies have both oreos and chocolate chips! So yummy!

Chocolate Chip Oreo Cookies

Makes about 3 dozen

What you'll need:

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 cup white sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature

2 large egg, room temperature

3 teaspoons vanilla extract

About 25 oreos roughly broken up

About 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

What you'll do:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking soda and salt.

In a stand mixer or a large bowl with hand mixer, cream the butter with the brown and white sugar. Add in the eggs and vanilla, beat well. Gradually add the flour mixture until well mixed.

Fold in the oreos and chocolate chips : )

Drop balls of dough onto an un-greased baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes or until just barely golden. Cool on a wire wrack and try not to eat all of them at once!

Enjoy!

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Comments (6)

Categories : Desserts: Cookies

Oatmeal Chocolate and Butterscotch Chip Cookies

By Leslie · Comments (3) · April 13th, 2010

So like I said, I've been a little butterscotch obsessed recently. . . I love oatmeal cookies!! You can make these with butterscotch chips, chocolate chips, raisins, dried cranberries, nuts, really anything you like. This recipe is really easy to make your own.

And I call them healthy because they do have oatmeal in them. . . right? : )

Oatmeal Chip Cookies

What you'll need:

1 1/4 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

3 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 to 1 tsp. nutmeg (depends on how much you like)

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temp.

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs, room temp.

2 tsp. vanilla

2 1/2 cups oatmeal (quick oats)

6 oz. chocolate chips

6 oz. butterscotch chips

What you'll do:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees

Fold in the oatmeal and the chips.

Drop a ball of dough onto a baking sheet about 1 tbsp. big (the size of a ping pong ball)

Bake for 7-8 minutes. Remove and let cool on a cooling rack. (or eat them how I like them, warm right away!)

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Comments (3)

Categories : Desserts: Cookies

3. Master an Excellent Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

By Leslie · Comments (6) · October 1st, 2009

YUMMY!! I absolutely adore chocolate chip cookies! They can instantaneously make your day so much better! And I love baking them! There is such satisfaction with making the dough and smelling that incredible smell while they are baking. The payoff is biting into that warm, chewy yummyness!! Ooooh! I'm getting hungry just talking about it!! It's super important to have a "go to" cookie recipe. They work wonders as "thank you" gifts, "get well" gifts, housewarmings, and just great to have around! Now there are a million chocolate chip cookie recipes out there. The thing is to figure out the one that works best for you. Do you like chewy, crunchy, cakey, or gooey? All things to think about. And I know you can add nuts, fruit, etc. to your cookies, but that's not what this entry is about. It's about chocolate!!
chocolate-chip-cookies

There are a couple tips that I do that really help!

#1 I always use kosher or sea salt; it gives the cookies a nice rich flavor.

#2 I always use a little more vanilla; makes it a little more sweet.

#3 Make sure you know that your oven is accurate! With baking a couple degrees makes a big difference. Buy a oven thermometer and set your oven at 350 degrees. Wait twenty minutes. Whatever the thermometer says is the accurate temperature, so if you need to, adjust the oven temperature to accommodate.

#4 I like my cookies a little chewier so I bake for a few minutes less than called for and remove from the pan immediately.

#5 for thiner cookies, use a 1/3 whole wheat flour to 2/3 all purpose.
#6 use good butter, you can taste the difference!
#7 I like a combo of semi-sweet and milk chocolate chips.
494

I have this "go to" recipe that I love! I've combined a couple recipes to create it.
Here it is:

Chocolate Chip Cookies

What you’ll need:

2 ½ cups all purpose flour

½ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt (kosher or sea)

1 cup packed brown sugar

½ cup sugar

1 cup butter, softened

2 large eggs

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips

What you’ll do:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees
In medium bowl mix all dry ingredients
In large bowl, use an electric mixer to blend sugars and butter until creamed
Add eggs and vanilla until blended
Add flour mixture until well blended
Fold in chocolate chips
Drop dough balls on an un-greased cookie sheet
Bake 18 minutes or until golden
Transfer to a cooling rack immediately
Enjoy!
These cookies are best warm!