Nutella Sandwich Cookies

I adapted these from a Tasty Kitchen recipe and they are so delicious! I wish I would have taken a picture but we ate them up too fast!

For the cookies:

1 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup cocoa
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup Nutella
1/3 cup milk
Kosher or seat salt to sprinkle on top
Nutella for center frosting

1. Stir flour, baking powder and cocoa together in a small bowl.
2. In an electric mixer beat together butter and sugar.
3. Stir in vanilla and Nutella until combined.
4. Alternately add milk and dry mixture until smooth.
5. Place mixture in refrigerator for 15 minutes.
6. Roll dough into 1 inch balls. Flatten slightly and sprinkle with Kosher or sea salt.
7. Bake at 325F for 10-12 minutes or until they just start to set. Note: these really are a lot better if they are soft and not cooked for too long. The dough doesn't have eggs so it's okay if they're undercooked a little. One batch I baked was perfect and still a little gooey. The other batch baked too long and really wasn't as tasty.
8. Let sit on baking sheet for a few minutes and then remove to cooling rack to cool completely.
9. Spread a thin layer of Nutella between two cookies for a delicious sandwich. (You could also make a Nutella butter cream and have sort of a homemade Oreo).
Enjoy!

Shortbread Chocolate Chip Cookies

I kind of forgot about this blog until I saw all the recipes posted today on my reader. They all look so yummy and I thought it was time to post another one again as well. By the way, the new look is so cute!

Shortbread Chocolate Chip Cookies a.k.a. my favorite cookie ever!
(very similar to those served at Flour Girls and Dough Boys in AF - I got this from a friend that used to work there).

Note: I usually half the recipe because it makes a ton!

2 cups butter, softened, (make sure it is not melted at all)
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Cream the butter until light and fluffy. This is very important in order to keep the cookies from being dry and/or hard.
3. Add the powdered sugar and cream again until light and fluffy.
4. Add the vanilla and cream again, until light and fluffy.
5. Add the salt, then slowly add the flour a little at a time, stirring at a slow speed. If you mix the flour at a higher speed, it will activate the gluten in the flour which makes a tough cookie.
6. Roll the dough into 1 inch balls and place them 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
7. Flatten with a fork.
8. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the bottom edge is just barely starting to brown. Do not cook too long or the cookies will be hard.

Enjoy!

Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies (& wheat free version)

This recipe originally came from my sister Shauna--not sure where she got it, but these are the best chocolate chip cookies as far as I'm concerned.  We like them soft and chewy, not hard and crunchy.

YIELD:  3 dozen cookies

Cream together:

• 2 eggs
• 1 c. butter, softened, not melted
• 1/4 c. brown sugar
• 3/4 c. sugar  (sometimes I do 1/2 c. each of the sugars)

Add:

• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 pkg. instant vanilla pudding (3.4 oz box, add the dry mix only)
• 2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 pkg. chocolate chips (12 oz. bag)
• 1 c. nuts (optional)

Drop by spoonful onto cookie sheet. 
***I use my 1-1/2" diameter Pampered Chef medium scoop

Sometimes I use the bottom of a cup, lightly floured, and flatten out the dough a bit before baking.

Bake at 375ºF for 8-10 minutes.

***I find that using stoneware pans I bake the cookies more like 10-12 minutes.

For bars:

Spread in 9 x 13 pan and bake for 20-25 minutes.

_____________________________________
Updated Feb. 2012
WHEAT FREE VERSION:

Instead of using AP flour substitute WonderFlour™ straight across and then add 1 tsp. Xanthum Gum.
I don't think you'll be able to taste a difference.

To make your own WonderFlour™ go here. It is a combo of spelt, pearled barley and brown rice.

We're linked up with the above site. 

(Click on pic)

They've got some tasty goodie recipes to try also.

No-Bake Oatmeal Cookies

Click HERE for yummy no-bake oatmeal cookies.

Makes 2 doz.

Homemade Samoas

My friend had this on her blog and I couldn't help but resist passing it along. I made individual samoas last year but this bar idea looks fantastic!

Cookie base:

1/2 c sugar

3/4 c butter, softened

1 large egg

1/2 tsp vanilla

2 c flour

1/4 tsp salt

Cream together sugar and butter until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Working at low speed gradually add flour and salt until crumbly. Pour crumbly mixture into 9x13 pan lightly greased or lined with parchment paper and press into an even layer. Bake 20-25 minutes until base is set and edges are brown. Cool completely.

Topping:

3 c shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)

12 oz chewy caramels

1/4 tsp salt

3 Tbsp milk

10 oz semi sweet chocolate

Preheat oven to 300. Spread coconut evenly on a parchment-lined baking sheet (preferably one with sides) and toast 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until coconut is golden. Cool on baking sheet, stirring occasionally. Set aside.

Unwrap the caramels and place in a large microwave-safe bowl with milk and salt. Cook on high for 3-4 minutes, stopping to stir a few times to help the caramel melt. When smooth, fold in toasted coconut with a spatula.Put dollops of the topping all over the shortbread base. Using the spatula, spread topping into an even layer. Let topping set until cooled.When cooled, cut into 30 bars with a large knife or a pizza cutter (it’s easy to get it through the topping).Once bars are cut, melt chocolate in a small bowl. Heat on high in the microwave in 45 second intervals, stirring thoroughly to prevent scorching. Dip the base of each bar into the chocolate and place on a clean piece of parchment or wax paper. Transfer all remaining chocolate (or melt a bit of additional chocolate, if necessary) into a piping bag or a ziploc bag with the corner snipped off and drizzle bars with chocolate to finish. Let chocolate set completely before storing in an airtight container.

Makes 30 bar cookies.

Here's a note my friend included: You can simply drizzle chocolate on top of the bars before slicing them up if you’re looking for yet an easier way to finish these off. You won’t need quite as much chocolate as noted above, and you won’t quite get the Samoas look, but the results will still be tasty.(If you are really want the original Samoa cookie, the recipe is found here. Both recipes were found on bakingbites.com.)

Here's a bonus recipe for copy cat thin mints as well. I've made them before and they're tasty!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

This recipe comes to us from Betty Crocker. Originally it is a double chocolate chip recipe, that calls for only 1 c. of chocolate chips. However, our family prefers it with peanut butter chips.

1 pkg. Chocolate cake mix
½ c. butter or margarine, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
½ c. chopped nuts (optional)
1 c. peanut butter chips (actually I use the entire bag)

Preheat oven to 350º.

• Beat half the dry cake mix, the butter, vanilla, and eggs in large bowl on medium speed until smooth, or mix with spoon.
• Stir in remaining cake mix, the nuts and chocolate chips.
• Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake 10-12 minutes or until edges are set (centers will be soft).
• Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.

Yields about 5 dozen (Maybe if you really do teaspoonfuls, but we never have that many.)

Sorry for no picture this time around. We ate them all before I actually thought of it.

Peanut Butter Bars

1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. butter or margarine
1 beaten egg
1/2 tsp. bkg. soda
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/3 c. peanut butter
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. flour
1 c. oatmeal
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/2 c. peanut butter
1/4 c. milk
1 c. chocolate chips

Cream together sugars and butter. Blend in egg, soda, salt, vanilla, and peanut butter. Add flour and oatmeal. Mix thoroughly. Spread in greased 9x13" pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until light brown. Sprinkle immediately with chocolate chips. Let stand 5 minutes then spread.
In a separate bowl, combine powdered sugar, 1/2 c. peanut butter, and milk. Stir until smooth. Spread over melted chocolate chips. Cool; cut into bars.