Jacques Torres Copycat Chocolate Chip Cookies

This chocolate chip cookies recipe has some unusual, not in every kitchen flours but it is worth the extra cost and refrigerator space.  I store my flour in the refrigerator.  I find the flour stays fresh longer.  These cookies are thick and chewy but has crispy edges.  According to "Mr. Chocolate" himself, the low gluten in the pastry flour combined with the high gluten in the bread flour makes the perfect textured cookie.  I must say that this is our household fav cookie!  I hope you like it too.

Always bring your cold items to room temperature (eggs, butter, flour etc.)  Now, I used 11 oz bag of ghirardelli milk chocolate chips and 5 oz of semi sweet ghirardelli chocolate chips.  You can let your freak flag fly as high as you want.  I like bittersweet, semi sweet and milk chocolate chips.  You can buy chocolate bars and chopped it yourself ( more work for you).  I've even done M&M's and snowcaps.  You can add pecans or any other nut.  I've seen pretzel pieces added to cookie dough.  I prefer a plain jane, nothing but chocolate, chocolate chip cookie.

 Look at that yummy dough!  Now, it is recommended to refrigerate dough for at least 24 hours and up to 72 hours.  Who wants to wait that long for cookies???  I baked them right away and the cookies came out perfect. Don't forget to leave enough space in between each cookie for spreading does occur.

 Once cookies are out of the oven let cool for a few minutes in pan on a rack.  Then remove from pan and place directly on cooling rack until cool enough for storage.

I like to each my cookie with a large glass of milk in front of the TV.

Eat and enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 2 sticks of unsalted butter, room temp
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp of sugar
• 1 cup plus 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp pastry flour
• 1 1/2 cup bread flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 16 oz your fav chocolate combo (mine is milk and semi sweet)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.  In a separate bowl, combine flours, soda, salt and baking powder.  Whisk together and set aside.
2. In your mixer, cream together butter and sugars until fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time and vanilla.
3. Slowly add in the dry ingredients  Don't over mix or you will end up with hockey pucks!
4. Stir in chocolate chips.  Scoop cookies onto baking sheets.  I like a medium size cookies scoop but you can use a tablespoon.  
5. Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly golden.  Longer or shorter baking times for bigger or smaller cookies.  

* recipe make roughly 30 medium size cookies

Peanut Butter Cookies

All you need is this classic peanut butter cookie and a glass of milk.  You will not be disappointed.  These cookies are easy to make and eat.  They will disappear in the blink of an eye! 

Once shaped into balls, I like to roll them in regular granulated sugar.  It gives the cookies a sparkle and a nice crunch.  Give the cookies the classic criss-cross  pattern with a fork.  This is optional but if you want the traditional look, go the extra mile.

Look how scrumptious!  Time to get these babies in the oven and in my belly!!!

Eat these bad boys as is or dipped in chocolate.  You can also use chunky peanut butter in place of smooth.  I wouldn't use natural peanut butter. It's too oily.  In these cookies, I use Peter Pan.  I would also suggest Jif or Skippy.

Ingredients:

• 2 sticks of unsalted butter, room temp (1 cup)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 packed brown sugar (light or dark)
• 2 large eggs (room temp)
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 cups & 2 tbsp AP flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar (optional)

Directions:

1.  Cream butter and sugars until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
2. Add eggs one at a time and mix until combined.
3. Add peanut butter and vanilla and mix on high until combined.  Scrape down bowl as needed.
4. In a separate bowl, Whisk flour, baking soda & powder and salt together.  Add to the wet ingredients and mix on low until combined.  
5. Cover dough with plastic wrap and chill for 3-24 hours.  This will insure that the dough doesn't spead all over pan while baking.
6. Preheat oven to 350°.  Line baking sheet with silpat or parchment paper.  You don't want these babies sticking to the pan.
7. Roll the dough into balls and roll in granulated sugar.  Place 2 inches apart on baking sheet.  Make a criss-cross pattern on top of dough with a fork.
8. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until light brown,  The cookies will look raw but leave them in pan for 5 minutes before moving to a cooling rack.  They will set up, I promise.  

Makes approx. 2 1/2- 3 dozen cookies, depending on size.  Store in an air-tight container for one week.  It makes a lot of cookies, so share with your friends and family.

Eat and enjoy!

White Chocolate Dipped Gingersnap Cookies

Gingersnap cookies is my husband's all time fav!  I just hope he leaves enough for our friends and family to enjoy... and Santa too.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 2 cups AP flour
• 1/2 cup turbinado sugar, optional
• 12oz bag white chocolate chips
• 1 tbsp vegetable shortening
• garnishes: sprinkles, colored sugars, etc.

Directions:

1. Cream together butter, shortening and both sugars
2. Add egg, vanilla and molasses.
3. In another bowl whisk flour, spices, salt and baking soda. Then gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients.  Mix until just combined.  Cover dough and chill for 2 hours.
4. Preheat oven to 350°.  Line a baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper.  Scoop out small balls of dough and roll them in the turbinado sugar.  This is optional but it gives the cookies a nice crunch.
5. Place dough onto baking sheet and gently smash a little.  Space out cookies 2 inches apart.  They will spread.
6. Bake for 12 minutes.  The cookies will be soft to the touch.  Let them sit on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
7. Once cookies have cooled, melt the chocolate and shortening in microwave on 30 second intervals until melted.
8. Dip the cookies in the melted chocolate and place on a wax paper.  Decorate as desired.  Let the chocolate set up before stacking the cookies in an air tight container.

Eat and enjoy!

Oatmel Raisin Cookies

This recipe is basically the one on the canister of oatmeal only tweaked a little.  It also happens to be my personal favorite way to eat oatmeal.... Just kidding!

 

 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks) room temp
•  3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs, room temp
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 tbsp molasses
• 1 1/2 cups AP flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 sea salt
• 3 cups oats (I like quick oats)
• 1 cup raisins

 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.  Beat butter and both sugars together until creamy and smooth.
2. In a separate bowl combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; whisk well and set aside.
3. Add eggs, vanilla and molasses to butter mixture; beat well.  
4. Add flour mixture to wet ingredients; mix well.
5. Add raisins and oats; mix well.  The mixture will be thick.
6. Drop tablespoons of dough onto ungreased cookie sheet.
7. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool in pan for one minute.  Move to wire rack to cool completely.  
8. Eat and enjoy.

Make approx 3 dozens cookies

chocolate chip cookies

Chocolate Chip Cookies

•  2 1/4 cup AP flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups chocolate chips (any combo)

1.  Preheat oven to 375°.  Stir flour, baking soda and salt in bowl, set aside.
2. Beat butter and sugar together until fluffy and creamy.
3. Add vanilla and eggs, one at a time until incorporated.
4. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture.  Stir in chocolate chips ( I use half milk and half semi-sweet).   
5. Drop by tablespoon onto ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 9-10 minutes or until golden brown.
6. Cool on wire rack.  Eat and enjoy!

makes 2 1/2 dozen large cookies