Showing posts with label cookies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cookies. Show all posts

Thursday, December 19, 2013

Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookies Redux

I posted this last year, and now that I am beginning my Christmas baking for this year and plan to make a batch of these tomorrow, I thought I would repost this.  These cookies are a big hit and a favorite of my family and friends.

One of my favorite cookbooks is Baking From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan, and this recipe is from that book. 


Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 sticks unsalted butter (8 ounces) at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup (packed) light brown sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
2 large eggs
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate chopped into chips or chunks
1 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans*



*I used chocolate that had almonds in it and did not use any extra nuts.

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Whisk together the flour and baking soda.
With a stand mixer beat the butter on medium speed for about 1 minute until smooth.
Add the sugars and beat until well blended about 2 minutes or so.
Beat in the vanilla and the espresso powder.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating 1 minute after each egg goes in.
With the mixer speed on low slowly add the dry ingredients until they are incorporated.
On low speed mix in the chocolate and nuts.
Spoon the dough by slightly rounded tablespoonfuls onto the baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between spoonfuls.
Bake the cookies--one sheet at a time and rotating the sheet at the midway point--for 10 to 12 minutes, or until they are brown at the edges and golden in the center.  Allow the cookies to rest for a minute, then carefully, using a wide metal spatula, transfer them to racks to cool to room temperature.
This makes about 4 dozen cookies.

I like to make my own chunks and chips because I can use a better grade of chocolate than is in the commercial chocolate chips.
I chipped this coffee crunch chocolate bar.
I chipped some of this bittersweet chocolate with almonds.
Ready for the oven.
Cooling on wire rack.
A plate of cookies.
 These will be enjoyed on Christmas Eve.


Saturday, December 22, 2012

Almost Ready for Christmas


Two more days until Christmas, and I'm just about done with everything.  We put up a small tree this year, so that didn't take long to decorate.  I put on some of our favorite ornaments.
Michael made this when he was in kindergarten.
This is one of Patrick's favorite ornaments.
Grace made this when she was in kindergarten.

My friend Patti Hinton made this ornament.
This little angel is made from pasta.
This glass ornament looks so much like real candy that folks are tempted to eat it.


The "Dirty Santa" gifts are all wrapped and ready for Christmas Eve.  We always play this game on Christmas Eve when the grands are here.  I buy all the gifts and I have a lot of fun doing this.  The grands always ask, "Are we going to play Dirty Santa this year?"---even now that they are almost grown.
Dirty Santa gifts ready for Christmas Eve. There will be eleven of us this year.
 The spiced pecans are ready for friends and neighbors.
Spiced pecans ready for neighbors.
Check out the recipe for pecans.
And I have one batch of cookies, chocolate chip, baked.  I still have to make another batch or two of cookies and toffee.  I'm also going to make meringue cookies/candy this year.  I haven't made a cake nor a pie---but I may make the Lottie Lane Fruitcake that Mama always made before New Year's.  This will be one of the few years that I haven't made it. 
Chocolate chip cookies.


Lane fruitcake that I made two years ago.

This was always my favorite fruitcake.  All the fruit is in the icing and filling.

Monday, May 21, 2012

Peanut Butter Cookies


Peanut Butter Crisscross Cookies
Before I went to Lattimore for the Street Festival, I made a batch of peanut butter cookies for the Bake Sale.  I used the recipe from a favorite cookbook of mine by Dorie Greenspan.
Mixing the batter.

Roll  teaspoon size ball of dough in sugar.

Criss cross with tines of a fork to flatten before baking.

Cooling the baked cookies.

These are really yummy.  You might like to try Dorie's recipe.