Sunday, December 30, 2012

Chocolate Mint Sugar Cookie Drops


I found this little jewel of a recipe in the Nestle Toll House Recipe Collection cookbook copyright 1987.  It's a thin, spiral bound cookbook filled with delicious chocolate recipes! 

Ingredients:
2  1/2 C all-purpose flour
1  1/2 t baking powder
3/4 t salt (I usually cut this in half)
1  1/4 C sugar, divided  (1 C for the cookie recipe and 1/4 C for rolling the cookie in prior to baking)
3/4 C vegetable oil
2 eggs, at room temp
1 t vanilla extract
1 10oz pkg (1 1/2 C) Nestle Toll House Mint Chocolate Morsels *

In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.  In large bowl, combine 1 C sugar and the vegetable oil; mix well.  Beat in eggs and vanilla extract.  Gradually add flour mixture, blending well between each addition.  Stir in mint chocolate chips.  Shape into small balls (about 1 t of dough), roll in remaining sugar.  Place on ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake at 350º for 8-10 minutes.  Cool completely on wire racks.

Makes approx. 5 1/2 dozen, 2" cookies (perfect for popping in your mouth!)

*Back in the day, Nestle made an all-chocolate mint chocolate chip.  A couple of years later, they discontinued those chips, so I had to use the Andes Mint chips.  Last year, I found Nestle Dark Chocoalte & Mint chips in the store which were dark chocolate chips and green chips, as seen in my pics.  I think I would prefer a solid chocolate mint chip and will probably go back to using the Andes Mint pieces in the future.

Also, this recipe is also good doubled for a larger number of cookies.  If you double the recipe, do NOT double the amount of chips used.  You'll end up with about 1/4 of them in the bottom of the bowl.  Of course, you could eat them all...



Thursday, December 20, 2012

Momma's Chocolate Chip Cookies


I have such wonderful memories of baking with my mom.  I miss her so much at this time of year, but I'm thankful that she shared her love of cooking and baking with me.  I can't remember a time when I wasn't in the kitchen helping my mom (& dad).  This is my all-time favorite cookie and recipe.  They make a lovely, crunchy cookie.

Mom's Toll House Cookies

**This recipe is doubled and makes a TON!**

Preheat oven to 375º.

Combine and set aside:
4-1/2 C All purpose flour
2 t baking soda
2 t salt  (I cut this in half to help make it more heart friendly)

Blend in mixer:
2 C Crisco
1 1/2 C brown sugar, very firmly packed
1 1/2 C sugar
2 t vanilla
1 t water
4 eggs at room temperature

Add:
1 to 1 1/2 C of chopped pecans or walnuts
1 large package (12 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips (I use 2 C)

Cream Crisco, sugars, vanilla, water and eggs until nice and creamy.  Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture a little bit at a time and mix well.  Scrape sides of bowl frequently.   Stir in chips and nuts.  Drop by rounded teaspoons onto cookie sheet.  Bake 10-12 mins or until browned to your liking.

**I use a regular long teaspoon from my utensil drawer.  The smaller you make the cookies, the more cookies you get! ;)  I also refrigerate my dough in the fridge for several hours or overnight to keep cookies from spreading so much.  Lastly, I use the water displacement process to measure my Crisco.  If you use Crisco sticks, either use a couple of tablespoons less or increase your flour by about 1/4C to prevent spreading and pancake cookies.

Here's a treasure I pull out every Christmas.  This is from a cookbook my mom and her co-workers put together in 1987.  This is one of my most treasured possessions, and as you can see, much used.


Sunday, August 26, 2012

Treasure Cookies


Chocolate Chip Treasure Cookies

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup All Purpose Flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 (14 oz.) can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
2 cups (12 oz. pkg.) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:
HEAT oven to 375ºF. Combine graham cracker crumbs, flour and baking powder in small bowl.
BEAT sweetened condensed milk and butter in large bowl until smooth.
ADD crumb mixture; mix well. Stir in coconut, chocolate chips and walnuts. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheets.
BAKE 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool.