Homemade Oreos

This blogpost calls for a shout out to Mike Parkin for requesting this recipe to be made.  That guy does too much for my husband and me and so we repay him with cookie requests.  This recipe really does not call for too many ingredients, so there's no excuse to NOT make them.

I N G R E D I E N T S

--1 package of Betty Crocker's Super Moist cake mix (you only need the mix)

--1/2 cup Crisco shortening

--2 large eggs

 --For the frosting--

--8 oz. cream cheese

--1/2 stick butter

--2 tsp. vanilla

--2-4 cups powdered sugar

 D I R E C T I O N S

--Put the first three ingredients into the bowl of an electric mixer.  The shortening...

--The cake mix, and the two eggs.

--Look at that consistency!

--On a cookie sheet, take small scoops, like "melon-scooper" size (the smallest dang ice cream scooper you can find) and roll dough into balls and spread out on the sheet.

--Like-ah so.  Put these in the oven at 350 degrees for 8 minutes, then set aside to cool.

 --Let's make frosting!  Throw in the softened butter,

--And cream cheese, and whip together until combined.  Then add in a couple cups of sugar.

--Add in vanilla, stir to combine, and then add a couple more cups of sugar.

--Mix until beautifully incorporated,

--This looks good.  Like really good.

--8 minutes later....YUM!

--Frost some frosting on the back of one of the cookies and put the cookies together to form a sandwich.

then EAT!

Biscoff Blogpost

I feel like i have a "biscoff day" every week.  I don't know what it is with this stuff, but the crunchiness of the spread and the mini cookie bites in it make me crave it daily.  This weekend, it was all I wanted to eat, so I decided to incorporate it into a couple well-known treats.  They both turned out soooo good.  I make the no-bake biscoff cookies version so often because it's my husband's very favorite.  And it takes about seven minutes to throw together...Read at your own risk.

Biscoff No-Bake Cookies

I N G R E D I E N T S

--1 cup granulated sugar

--1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

--1/4 tsp. salt

--1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

--1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, diced into pieces

--1/2 cup 1% or 2% milk

--1 tsp. vanilla

--3 cups quick oats

--Oh, and 1/2 cup *crunchy* Biscoff cookie spread (duh)

--In a saucepan, combine the two sugars,

--...and the salt, cinnamon, butter and milk and stir over slightly over medium high heat, whisking until the butter has melted.

--Once it has melted, allow it come to a boil for 45 seconds...

--And then quickly pour in the vanilla,

--And then finally the Biscoff!

--Whisk until it all comes together.

--Prepare two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

--Meanwhile, stir in the oats until it's this consistency.

--Using an ice cream scooper, and any size you want, drop the "cookies" onto the parchment paper.

--On a few I added some white chocolate chips to the top, because it was Saturday.

--[These taste best when they have been able to set in the refrigerator.] 

Biscoff Snickerdoodle Cookies

I N G R E D I E N T S

--1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

--1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened

--1 tsp. vanilla

--1/2 cup Biscoff spread

--2 large eggs

--2 3/4 cup flour

--1 tsp. cream of tartar

--1/2 tsp. baking soda

--for the topping--

--2 tbsp. sugar

--2 tsp. cinnamon 

 

--Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the sugars, butter, vanilla, eggs, and Biscoff spread and mix until very well blended.

--Exhibit A.

--Add in the dry ingredients (flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt) and combine thoroughly until the dough comes together.

--In a small bowl, mix together the cinnamon and sugar and roll the 1-inch dough balls (using a cookie scooper) into the mixture.  

--Place cookies 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes or until the cookies are set.

Love, Biscoff

Mom's {famous} Chocolate Chip Cookies

This recipe is for the BBEEESSSSTTTT chocolate chip cookies ever.  If you've ever tasted these, you know I'm right.  Funny enough, this recipe actually came from the packaging of Cristco shortening sticks.  Don't believe me?

Proof.  But there are some steps to these cookies that make them what they are, and that's why I'm sharing the recipe.

It's really my mom's recipe.  She's vegan, she's obsessed with working out, BUT she knows her stuff when it comes to cooking.  She really is the best cook and baker I know!  She's been making these cookies for yearssssssss, and when I was making these she didn't even look at the recipe.  And we doubled it.  Good math skills, mom.

I N G R E D I E N T S

(keep in mind, these amounts are doubled to the original recipe, and they made 22 [large] cookies)

--2 tbsp. Mexican vanilla

--3 1/4 cup all purpose flour

--2 1/2 cup brown sugar

--1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

--2 tsp. salt

--2 large eggs

--1 1/2 crisco vegetable shortening sticks

--4 tbsp. milk

--1/2 8 oz bag of Guittard (must be this chocolate) milk chocolate chips (more to taste)

--1/2 8 oz bag of Guittard white chocolate chips (more to taste)

--Preheat your oven to 350.  If you've got a conventional oven, then set it to 325.  Begin with your 1 1/2 sticks of crisco in the bowl of an electric mixer.  With the paddle attachment, beat this for ten minutes at medium speed.

--Yes, ten minutes.

--Patience is a virtue with these cookies.

--(During these ten minutes, be sure to scrap down the sides of the bowl so none of the crisco is missed).

--Next, pour in 2 1/2 cups of firmly packed (remember, this is doubled amount!!) brown sugar to the whipped crisco.

--Allow this to beat for 4 minutes on medium speed.

--For those who have tasted these cookies, I really think this is where the cookies get that sweet and fluffy consistency.  Don't skip this step!

--Next, add in 2 eggs and mix until combined.  Then pour in the milk.

--Okay one more important ingredient.  Mexican vanilla.  From the Blue Cattle Truck Trading Co. has the. most. amazing. vanilla.  I used to think vanilla didn't matter for taste UNTIL I made cookies without this and realized they had lost their incredible and unique sweetness.  You can find this vanilla at The Store grocery store, or online at their website.  

--So my mom will pour in 2 tbsp. of vanilla to the bowl...

--And then a little dab extra because it is so dang good.

--Reason #2 why these cookies have such a fluffy and dense consistency = the amount of flour put in is important!! 

--We just want to make sure we get the cookies to this consistency.  If we get there with 3 1/4 cups of flour, awesome.  If not, keep on adding!

--Dump in a cup, mix it together.  Dump in a cup, mix it together.

--Mix it during each dump of flour or else you will find yourself covered in flour when the mixer is turned on.  True story.

--Okay we got the right consistency!

--Add in the salt and baking soda.  **Side note:  once the baking soda is added to the dough, it is crucial that the cookies get into the oven as soon as possible.  They help with the browning of the cookies but also the rising of the cookies!  So this is reason #3 for the fluffiness.

--Add in both kinds of chocolate chips.  And we have had fun trying different chip combinations.  My personal favorite are milk chocolate and butterscotch chips, and dark chocolate chips and mint chips. All these flavors are available in the Guittard brand.

--Transfer the dough over to nonstick baking sheets.  I used an ice cream scooper for these, and I did it when my mom left the kitchen.  She came back in and told me I overdid it.  And that she only places 9 cookies on each baking sheet for prime space.  So oops, I still need help in the kitchen.  Guess what, these cookies (with the size they are) baked perfect for 12 minutes and they were not too doughy.  These cookies take a little while to set, but you do not want to over bake them! Once they are cooled and set, they take on characteristics similar to a Swig cookie, that beautiful sugar cookie with the consistency tasting still like cookie dough.  In a good way.  In the best way.

 --There you have it.  The secrets are all out.  I challenge each of you to go and make these on your own!  They are worth it.  I have been guilty of even eating some of these once for breakfast.  Don't judge.