Kirbie's Cravings

Soft chocolate chip cookies

I told you about my favorite soft chocolate chip cookies recipe a few weeks ago.  I bake it often and it's one of my favorite recipes. After my post, Michelle of Une-deux senses introduced me to another soft chocolate chip cookie recipe. 

The recipe looked so promising that I decided to try it out to see how it compared to my favorite soft chocolate chip cookie recipe.

The dough, like most cookie dough, was easy to put together. I didn't even use a mixer. Of course I didn't carefully read the recipe, so I didn't realize I was supposed to refrigerate the dough overnight until I got to the step. Normally I don't have patience to refrigerate dough for so long, but since I had already gotten so far, I had no choice but to wait.

The next morning, the dough was hard, making it hard to scoop up and shape. I expected the dough to flatten out when baked, much like the beautiful little cookies Michelle made, but my cookies barely flattened, instead remaining puffy.

I don't mind puffy cookies, but the cookies I made didn't take much of a cookie shape, instead the final result was very similar to the raw cookie dough.  The cookies did come out nice and soft. I liked these cookies, but I still like my other recipe slightly better. I only made half the amount, so I don't know how long these cookies stay soft since they were all gone the same day. This is a pretty good recipe though and it's one I would make again. I'll have to figure out how to make them come out prettier next time.

Soft chocolate chip cookies (adapted from Lindsey yeo's blog)

Ingredients

360 grams all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup unsalted butter
½ cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (12 ounces)

 Directions

1. Combine flour, baking soda, salt & cinnamon in small bowl.  Melt butter in a large bowl on low in the microwave, or on the stove if you feel like getting a pan dirty.  Add granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract & whisk until smooth, with your hand. seriously.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually stir in flour mixture with a spatula.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Stick it in the fridge overnight.

2. Preheat oven to 375˚f.  Drop by rounded tablespoon onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper.  Bake for 9 minutes or until light brown around the edges.  Transfer to paper towel on the counter to cool.

Makes about 5 dozen.

 

Nutella ice cream sandwiches

You know what has been my most popular post the last few months? My post on nutella chocolate chip cookies. I am surprised at how popular this post is; it's up there as one of my most popular of all time. These cookies have been a big hit with my family as well. We all love how the cookies stay fudgey and chewy rather than turning hard/stale/cakey the next day.

So I know the days are getting shorter and Fall is pretty much here, but I'm still trying to hold onto summer. We had a nice, sunny weekend, so I decided to make ice cream sandwiches.

I made my nutella chocolate chip cookies and I made my nutella ice cream. I froze the nutella ice cream in a cylindrical shaped container that was approximately the diameter of my cookies the night before. The next day, I used a knife around the edges until the ice cream came out, and then sliced my block of ice cream and put them on the cookies.

The result was a sweet delicious messy treat. Because the ice cream is homemade and meant to stay soft and creamy, it melted pretty fast. I wanted to take more pictures of these, but I honestly didn't have time because the ice cream kept dripping.

You can find the nutella cookie recipe here. I'd recommend reducing the white sugar by about 1/4 cup. I found the cookies a bit too sweet this time, and the nutella flavor not as noticeable.

You can find the nutella ice cream recipe here.

Soft chocolate chip cookies

I love soft chocolate chip cookies and this recipe I use is the most perfect soft chocolate chip cookie recipe I've ever tasted.

The problem I had with past soft chocolate chip cookie recipes is that they didn't stay soft after they had cooled and sat for a day or two. These cookies stay soft forever.  Okay maybe not forever. But a really, really long time. (Don't ask me how I know.)

One of my closest friends introduced me to this recipe, which is highly rated on allrecipes. I've made this before for the blog, but it's been a while. So this weekend I decided to go back to my old favorite. I've always gotten so many compliments with this recipe.

I used to make this recipe with nestle swirl chips. Unfortunately, Nestle has discontinued these chips. I was so sad to hear that as I absolutely love how they look. I felt like when I baked my cookies this time they didn't look as pretty anymore. You can see my cookies with the swirl chips here.

The dough can be a bit sticky and wet to work with. I've found it best to leave the dough sitting for about half an hour, or better yet, stick it in the fridge for about half an hour to firm up the dough.

Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies (adapted from here)

Makes approximately 4 1/2 dozen cookies.

Ingredients:

• 4 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 cups butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 (3.4 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Sift together the flour and baking soda, set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. (I usually soften butter in microwave for approximately one minute.)
   
3. Beat in the instant pudding mix until blended. Stir in the eggs and vanilla.
   
4. Blend in the flour mixture.
   
5. Stir in the regular semi-sweet chocolate chips, trying to spread evenly through cookie dough.
6. Make balls of cookie dough, about 1 inch in diameter.
   
7. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Edges should be golden brown.