Honey Chocolate Chip Cookies- THIS IS THE ONE!!!

My mom brought these gems to family dinner at the beginning of the month and since then I have made them several times and eaten WAY too many of them. They are a really, really good substitute for regular chocolate chip cookies that call for white sugar.

Honey Chocolate Chip Cookies-

Cream-
1/2 C honey
1/2 C butter
Add-
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
Mix in-
1 1/2 C flour- You can use whole wheat
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
Then add in-
1/2 C pecans, finely chopped
1 C chocolate chips- you can use dark chocolate or even organic. I also like the tiny mini chocolate chips

Drop by teaspoonfuls or use a cookie scoop on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated oven at 350° for 9-12 minutes

Honey Chocolate Chip Cookies

There has been a lot of experimenting and failing in my kitchen lately in trying to find a recipe that uses honey instead of 1 1/2 cups of sugar for chocolate chip cookies. The first two attempts were not even noteworthy. There was a lot of runny, flatness mixed with melted chocolate. It was painful to see.
Today I tried these and I think we have a keeper. I was actually surprised that they weren't cakey and didn't flatten everywhere. Hooray!

Honey Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 C butter, softened
2/3 C honey
1/2 C dry powdered milk
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 C 100% whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 C chocolate chips- I used 65% cacao chips

Cream the butter, honey and dry milk. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well. It will look a little curdled. Add the flour, soda and salt and mix again. Stir in the chocolate chips. Drop by tablespoons on a cookie sheet and bake in a preheated 350* oven for 8-10 minutes.

Chewy Honey Oatmeal Cookies

My collection of recipes I feel are relatively 'safe' to eat is getting bigger and it makes me more comfortable with the lifestyle of no refined sugars. It is hard to change to that in this world we live in. There is so much crap added to everything that sometimes it is hard to tell and I am thinking that's why it is important to pray over your food. :)

Here is one that the kids loved. And so did I. I used dark chocolate chips which are not technically 'no refined sugars', but I can read all the ingredients on the package and know what they are. These would be really good with raisins though and I will try that next time I make them.

Chewy Honey Oatmeal Cookies
1/2 C butter, softened
3/4 C honey
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 C oats- I used old fashioned rolled oats
1 C whole wheat flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 C dark chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Cream the butter and honey. Add the egg and vanilla mixing until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and then stir in the chocolate chips.
Bake for 10-12 minutes until the cookies are golden brown. Remove from the overn and let them cool on the pan for about 2 minutes. Then cool on a rack.

Optional alternative: add 1 tsp cinnamon and 1 C raisins in place of the chocolate chips for oatmeal raisin cookies!

Paleo Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

I'm not really ALL about the new Paleo diet that is taking the world by storm. I just don't agree with some of the things about it. For one I am totally not into raw meat like some Paleos are doing and I also think that whole grains are a beautiful thing if used in moderation. That being said, I have found some really good recipes on Paleo websites and have fallen in love with them. I am on day 16 without any refined sugars in my diet. All I am allowing myself for sweeteners is real fruits, honey and 100% maple syrup. I actually feel really, really good and have tossed around the idea of never going back to white sugars and all their offspring.

There are times like today when I just needed something sweet and so I decided to make this recipe that I came across. Unlike some other paleo cookies I have made these kept their shape and taste amazing!

Paleo Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/2 C almond flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 egg
1/4 c coconut oil
2 T honey
4 T mini dark chocolate chips (preferably 62% or higher cacao)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Combine the flour, salt and soda. Add the egg, oil, and honey  until dough forms. Stir in the chips.
Scoop onto cookie sheets with a cookie scoop. I used one that was about a tablespoon.
Bake for 8-10 minutes.

Now this is important: Once you take them from the oven and transfer to a wire rack let them sit for about 15 minutes before eating them. Trust me!

Makes about 22 cookies depending on size

Magic Peanut butter cookies

I wasn't sure how these would turn out but have seen recipes all over the place over the years for them. They are so simple. Only four ingredients. And they were so good that the kids ate every single one before I could get a picture so I had to make another batch. Enjoy!

Magic Peanut butter cookies

1 C peanut butter
1 C sugar
1 egg
1tsp vanilla

Cream the peanut butter and sugar. Add the egg and sugar. Put on cookie sheet in 1 T balls and press tops with fork. Bake in a 350 degree preheat oven for 10 minutes. And then just see if you can get one eaten before the kids find them!

Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ah- for the love of bacon! Yesterday I came across an idea to make bacon chocolate chip cookies and today we took on the task. The site I read said to make candied bacon by covering the bacon in brown sugar on a foil lined pan and baking for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. We did this but think that next time we will just fry up the bacon, break it up and put it in the cookies. It needed more bacon flavor. With it candied you could hardly tell that there was even bacon there. But they were super yummy.

So just make your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe- our current favorite is the Nestle Toll House one. And add the bacon with the chocolate chips. Bake according to the recipes instructions and wala! Bacon chocolate chip cookies. YUM!!!

Huge Breakfast Cookies

I decided to try something different this morning and made these HUGE breakfast cookies and do you know what.....my kids would not eat them! What is this world coming to? They tasted really good too. I guess the concept of eating cookies for breakfast doesn't mesh with their upbringing. Where as I say- Bring it on!!!
Anyway, these are really good. Not any healthier than pancakes or waffles covered in syrup though. But something different I suppose.

Huge Breakfast Cookies
1/2 C butter
1 C peanut butter
1 1/3 C brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/3 C water
1 C white flour
1 C wheat flour
2 C oats- I used old fashioned
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking soda
1 C raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butters and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth. Add all the dry ingredients and mix well. Then add in the raisins. Scoop onto baking sheets by using a 1/3 C measuring cup. Bake for 18-20 minutes. This makes approximately 14 huge cookies.

Peanut butter kissed cookies- healthified a little bit!

I have been wanting to experiment with coconut oil in place of shortening and butter. The first attempt was horrible. I tried to healthify my brownie recipe. I will never do that again!
These turned out much, much better. The Hersheys kisses were on sale after Easter for $.99 so I got some.

Peanut Butter Kissed Cookies
1/2 C coconut oil
3/4 C organic peanut butter
1/3 C organic sugar
1/3 C brown sugar
1 egg
2 T milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 C whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Cream together the oil and peanut butter. Add the sugars and mix until smooth. Add the egg ad milk and combine. Put in the dry ingredients and mix well. Roll in to balls and bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. They try to fall apart so roll gently. Once cooked press a kiss into the top and cool.

Cinnamon Roll Sugar cookies

 The picture had to be the biggest that I could make it! So HEAVENLY!!!
This one is not my brain child. I have to give credit to Picky Palate. I have never had a better sugar cookie!

Cinnamon Roll Sugar Cookies
Your favorite or use mine-
1 1/2 C butter, softened
2 C sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
5 C flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
Mix the butter and sugar until smooth. Add the eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Add in the dry ingredients and then chill for a few hours.
After it has chilled take it out and roll it into a large rectangle. Spread butter all over it and then sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon. Roll up the rectangle and slice cookies about 1/4-1/2 in thick. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.
Cool on a rack and then frost with your favorite cream cheese icing.
My cream cheese icing was:
8 oz cream cheese
1 C powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 c water
Mix until smooth

Sugar Day- Whole wheat chocolate chip cookies

 

I have been feeling stressed with the stuff that every day is made of and some stuff that everyday is not made of. Anyway, today was a breaking point and I decided to take a sugar day. I was amazed at the yum of these cookies. Not healthy, but healthier than not. 

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip cookies

1 C shortening

3/4 C organic sugar

3/4 C brown sugar

2 eggs

2 T milk

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

3 C whole wheat flour

2 C chocolate chips

Mix the shortening and sugars until creamy. Add the egg, milk, and vanilla. Dry ingredients finally and then chocolate chips until mixed. Bake at 375 for about 10 minutes. Don't overcook because they will get hard. 

Makes 3 dozen.

Iced Pumpkin Cookies

It's PUMPKIN TIME!!!!
Autumn is in full swing here in AK and my heart longs for pumpkin delights night and day. This recipe that I got off of Allrecipes.com I have made twice this week. My little guy has had fun eating them for breakfast. Yes, I will probably get the mother of the year for that one!
Enjoy!

Iced Pumpkin Cookies

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1 tablespoon melted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, and salt; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, cream together the 1/2 cup of butter and white sugar. Add pumpkin, egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla to butter mixture, and beat until creamy. Mix in dry ingredients. Drop on cookie sheet by tablespoonfuls; flatten slightly.
3. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Cool cookies, then drizzle glaze with fork.
4. To Make Glaze: Combine confectioners' sugar, milk, 1 tablespoon melted butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add milk as needed, to achieve drizzling consistency.

Waffle Cookies

My friend, Sharla made these for an event and I was in love. She shared the recipe with me and now I share it with all of you! If you are looking for a chocolate attack this is your answer!

Waffle Cookies

1 cup melted butter

1 cup powder cocoa

1-1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

4 eggs

2-1/2 cups flour

Pinch of baking soda

Mix all ingredients together. Pre-heat waffle iron. Drop by tsp onto hot waffle iron, Close for 1 minute ONLY.Cool – add frosting

Chocolate Frosting:

6 oz. chocolate chips

1/3 cup canned milk

¼ cup butter

Melt together – stir in 2-1/4 cups powdered sugar.

Fudge Puddles

I told my husband that if we ever get a dog I want to name it Fudge. I just love the word fudge and perhaps it would help me love a dog more if it had a name that I liked. However, I wouldn't want to eat the dog just because it's name is Fudge. So don't worry!

The recipe comes from Taste of Home and was featured as one of their countdown cookies at Christmas time. Worth making- trust me- it is really is!!!

Fudge Puddles

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• FUDGE FILLING:
• 1 cup milk chocolate chips
• 1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Chopped peanuts

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, peanut butter and sugars. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt Gradually add to creamed mixture. Chill for 1 hour.
Shape into 48 balls, 1 in. each. Place in lightly greased mini-muffin tins. Bake at 325° for 14-16 minutes or until lightly browned. Using the end of a wooden spoon handle, make a 3/8- to 1/2-in.-deep indentation in the center of each ball. Cool in pans for 5 minutes, before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
For filling, in a microwave or small saucepan melt chocolate chips. Stir in milk and vanilla until smooth. Fill each shell with filling. Sprinkle with peanuts. (Leftover filling can be stored in the refrigerator and served warm over ice cream.) Yield: 4 dozen.

TWD: World Peace Cookies

Who doesn't love the combination of sugar, butter, and chocolate. The dough of these cookies was so incredibly good I wasn't sure it was going to make it into a baked cookie form.
Jessica of cookbook habit chose todays recipe. And it is probably one I will make again. The only change I made was that I used semisweet chips instead of the bittersweet chocolate called for. I have never really had a taste for bittersweet and these are super good with semi sweet.

Giant Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

While browsing food blogs last week I found this recipe. Even though I already have a favorite chocolate chip cookies recipe I figure it never hurts to try another one! I got all giddy as I scooped out the dough in 1/4 c mounds. I NEVER do that, but for some reason I was compelled to- probably because they are called GIANT cookies. These we will do again and I am bringing some to my friend on Friday but it will have to be a new batch because my family is eating them all!

Giant Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes 12 huge cookies

2 cups plus 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (I won't put the cinnamon in next time though)
12 Tbsp (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted cooled until warm
1 c brown sugar, packed
1/2 c granulated sugar
1 large egg plus 1 yolk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chip
1/4 cup white chocolate chips

Directions
1. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. Whisk dry ingredients together; set aside.
3. With electric mixer, beat butter & sugars until thoroughly combined.
4. Beat in egg, yolk and vanilla until just combined.
5. Add dry ingredients; beat at low speed until combined. Stir in chips.
6. Measure 1/4 cup of dough and roll into ball. Holding dough ball in fingertips of both hands, pull into 2 equal halves. Place dough halves together, ragged side up. Place formed dough onto cookie sheet with about 2 inches in between (the cookies will spread).
7. Bake, reversing position of cookie sheets halfway through baking, until cookies are light golden brown and outer edges start to harden yet centers are still soft and puffy. It took over 20 minutes per cookie sheet- so watch them.
8. Cool cookies on sheets until able to lift without breaking and place on wire rack to cool.

Alton's Macaroons

I have to be honest when I say that I have never really liked coconut. I don't know why. It's just one of those things.

But as I have gotten older my tastes have changed quite a bit. For example, as a kid I loved cocoa puffs. Now I wouldn't touch them with a ten foot pole- Ick!
And coconut seems to be following the same pattern. I wouldn't just sit and eat it from the bag but I really like it in things. Like german chocolate frosting especially. LOL
When I saw Alton's little video on foodtv.com I figured it would be worth a try to attempt his macaroons. Well it was a success and I have eaten a couple too many I think.

Alton Browns Macaroons
14 oz shredded coconut
1 tsp vanilla
pinch salt
2 oz sweetened condensed milk
4 lg egg whites
5 oz sugar
6 oz chocolate chips
1 oz shortening
macadamian nut pieces
Preheat oven 325 degrees. Mix the coconut, vanilla, salt and sweetened condensed milk together with your hands. This is very important because you don't get to squish coconut between your fingers every single day- live in the moment. In another bowl beat egg whites until they are frothy and then slowly add the sugar. Beat until soft peaks then fold the whites into the coconut mixture in stages.
Put onto a cookie sheet that is lined with parchment paper in tablespoon amount. Bake for 20-25 minutes. While cookies are baking melt the chocolate and shortening together. Once cookies have cooled a bit dip the tops into the chocolate and then sprinkle with nuts. ENJOY!!! They are yummy. Kind of like a mounds bar, but not really.

TWD: Linzer Sables- CATCH UP!

I haven't fallen off the face of the earth, although it seems like I might have. Things got crazy in December because we moved. But I am back and trying to catch up with Dorie followers again.

Linzer Sables the Nutella way!

When I read the recipe for the sables I was excited to use hazelnuts in the dough and nutella as my filling. However the only hazelnuts I could find were in the shell and I don't have a nut cracker! So I did want any country girl would do and smashed the nuts with my husbands leatherman! LOL

It seemed to work fine.
The cookies went together really well and since the temps have been around -20 for several days I just set the dough out the back door for about 3 minutes after rolling it out and I had very chilled dough to work with. It made things go very quickly!
I loved how they turned out. The use of nutella makes a VERY hearty cookie. I could barely finish my one. So I tried one with jam and liked it even better. Fun cookie! And I really like how they look!

Go here to find the recipe from Noskos who was the great guy that picked it!

Grandpa Buckingham's Ginger Cookies

Every year I LONG for the day after Thanksgiving because then I am officially allowed to make Matt's Grandpa's cookies. These are soft, delicious ginger cookies and we adore them every year. I am actually grateful that the family tradition (aka rule) is that you are not allowed to make these unless it is the holiday season because if it weren't I would make them all year long and weigh over 300 lbs for sure. Just make sure you measure the ingredients EXACTLY or they will not turn out right.

Grandpa Buckingham’s Ginger cookies

3/4 c shortening, melted and cooled

1 c. brown sugar

1/4 c molasses)

(Brer Rabbit in the green label is best

1 egg

2 tsp soda

2 c flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp. cloves

1/2 tsp ginger

1 tsp cinnamon

Mix together the sugar, molasses and egg with the cooled shortening. Sift dry ingredients and add to the mixture. Chill. Roll into 1 in balls and then roll in granulated sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 min. These will have a cracked look but still be chewy when cool.

Chocolate Crinkles

I remember seeing a recipe on the back of a cocoa container once for Chocolate Crinkles. I think I may have even made them once and liked them but forgot about them. Well, as I was getting ready to make my monthly cookies I remembered them and desperately wanted to make them. Brownies in cookie form they are! I found the recipe on Allrecipes and then altered it a bit, because well, that is what I do. I hope I don't forget these again because they are wonderful!


Chocolate Crinkles

1 C cocoa
2 C sugar
4 eggs
1/2 C oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
2 C flour- 1/2 white, 1/2 wheat
1/2 C powdered sugar

Mix together the cocoa, sugar, oil and vanilla. Add in the eggs one at a time. Combine the dry ingredients, except the powdered sugar, and then add to the cocoa mixture. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. One chilled roll into 1 in balls, or bigger is good too, and roll in powdered sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Don't over cook them or they will be hard and dry. I ended up with 36 cookies but made them bigger than 1 in and WOW are they yummy!

TWD: Rugelach

Rugel what? This was fun for me because I have never even heard of this cookie. We were discussing how many TWD's that we have absolutely loved and there are few, I am sad to say. However, this was a huge hit one way and a total bomb the next. Because the dough chilled in two balls we decided to try each ball of dough with different ingredients.

Dough #1 included: our family jam(peach berry), cinnamon/sugar, dried cherries, white chocolate and macadamian nuts(that was my husbands brilliant idea!) These were the ones that were absolutely amazing. They went VERY fast!

Dough #2 included: our family jam, forgot the cinnamon/sugar, craisins, chunks of pretzels, and mini chocolate chips. I thought the pretzels were a good idea. However, it is classified as a crime in this household to pair chocolate and fruit and this recipe was no exception. My husband only ate one bite of one of these.

Here is our version:

Cherry White Chip Rugelach

Dough:
4 oz cream cheese, softened
8 T butter
1 C flour
1/4 tsp salt
Filling:
2/3 C family jam
2 T sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 C macadamian nuts
1/4 C dried cherries
2/3 C white chocolate chips
Glaze:
1 lg egg
1 tsp water
2 T decorating sugar- coarse

Preheat oven to 350 degrees- unless you have my oven and then do 325.
In a food processor combine flour, salt, cream cheese, and butter and pulse until dough looks curdled. Then turn out on lightly floured surface. Divide into two balls and put in saran wrap. Chill for at least 2 hours.
Heat jam in microwave until it is almost like liquid. Combine cinnamon/sugar. Roll out a ball of dough into a large circle. Spread on half of the jam, sprinkle the cinnamon/sugar, layer nuts, chocolate, and cherries. Then cut into 16 triangles with a pizza cutter. Roll each triangle from the largest end to the smallest.
Combine the egg and water. Brush on the top of each cookie. Sprinkle with decorator sugar. Bake for 10 minutes and then rotate the pan and bake another 10 minutes.