Thick Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

You know what's sad? The amount of people who turn up their noses at Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. A lot of people won't give the chewy, cinnamony deliciousness a chance simply because there are delicious raisins thrown in there. I say, to heck with the haters! These cookies are IN.CRED.IB.LE.

I was searching for an Oatmeal Raisin Cookie recipe so I could send cookies to my Uncle Tim when I stumbled across these Oatmeal Raisinet Cookies from Sally's Baking Addiction. I changed them slightly, using raisins instead of Raisinets, but I know either way the results would be phenomenal. These cookies were da bomb.

The cookies themselves were tiny, but delish. They were thick and chewy and had the perfect cinnamony-oatmealy-raisiny flavor. And don't skimp on the raisins either, they add a delicious bite.

So don't turn your nose up at these babies! Make them and enjoy :)

Thick Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Recipe slightly adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction
(originally adapted from How Sweet Eats)

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract 
• 1 and 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 and 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 and 1/2 cups raisins

Directions:

1. With an electric or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars together on medium speed. Add the egg and vanilla, mixing well until combined.
2. On slow speed, mix in the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Manually stir in oats until the dough comes together. Fold in raisins. Roll into balls and freeze the balls for about 5 minutes, to get them to chill quickly.
3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
4. Bake for 9-10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 3 minutes on the baking sheet. Transfer to a cookie rack. Cookies will be very soft and may not appear to be done, but they will set up in minutes.

Brown Sugar Crackle Cookies

If you've never had brown butter, you need to make some...IMMEDIATELY. What is it you ask? It's butter, cooked on the stove until golden brown with a nutty aroma. Oh my lanta, it is sinful. Brown butter adds such a rich and unique flavor to anything it's added to, including these delectable cookies.

I saw these cookies from The Farm Girl Recipes on Pinterest and made them 48 hours later. These cookies were one of those recipes that just screamed "MUST EAT NOW!" at me. I am so pleased I listened to the call.

I love brown sugar, and this cookie is chalk full of the good stuff. It is a simple cookie, but it is packed with flavor. The brown sugar and brown butter are a divine combo, and when rolled in brown sugar before baking, they develop a crispy little coating.

Listen to the call, and make (and eat!) these cookies ASAP! Enjoy!

Brown Sugar Crackle Cookies
Recipe from The Farm Girl Recipes

• 14 tbsp. butter, divided
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 cups packed dark brown sugar, divided
• 2 cups plus 2 tbsp. unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. table salt
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 tbsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Heat 10 tablespoons butter in a stainless steel (do not use nonstick) skillet or small uncoated saucepan over medium heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Continue to cook butter, swirling pan constantly until butter is dark golden brown and has a nutty aroma, 1 to 3 minutes (browned butter can burn easily and quickly so keep a close eye on it). Remove the skillet or pot from the heat and transfer the browned butter to a large heatproof bowl. Stir in the remaining 4 tablespoons butter into the hot butter to melt. Set aside for 15 minutes.
2. While butter is cooling, adjust oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper, silpat liners or lightly coat them with non-stick cooking spray. Whisk flour, baking soda and baking powder together in a medium bowl; set aside.
3. Add 1 3/4 cups brown sugar and salt to the bowl with the cooled butter and mix until no sugar lumps remain, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the egg, egg yolk and vanilla, and mix until fully incorporated, about 30 more seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until just combined, about 1 minute. Give the dough a final stir with a rubber spatula to ensure that no flour pockets remain and the ingredients are evenly distributed (the dough will not look exactly like regular cookie dough, but no worries it is right).
4. In a shallow baking dish, pie plate or small mixing bowl, mix the granulated sugar and the remaining 1/4 cup packed brown sugar, rubbing the sugars between your fingers until well combined; set aside. Divide the dough into 24 portions (Note: I made 36 portions), each about 2 tablespoons. Working in batches, toss the balls in the sugar mixture to coat, and set them on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart and 12 dough balls per sheet.
5. Bake one sheet at a time until cookies are browned and still puffy and edges have begun to set but the centers are still soft (cookies will look raw between cracks and seem underdone, but don't overbake), about 11-13 minutes. Cool the cookies for 1-2 minutes on the baking sheets and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!

***I shared this link at: Time to Sparkle Tuesday, Buns In My Oven, Semi Homemade Mom, ZentMrs & The Mr.

Gingerbread Scotchies

You cannot pry me out of the kitchen. I have not stopped baking since I've been home. IT'S PHENOMENAL. And to make things better, today my house smelt like a gingerbread house. Can you imagine that?! Soak it in. It was like I was living in a gingerbread world, sans gumdrops (I mean, does anyone actually like those?!)

These cookies, y'all. I don't have words. Despite what my most recent posts may tell you, I am not a chocoholic. SUE ME, OK?! But you give me brown sugar and butterscotch and I will be shouting on the rooftops. 

I took one bite of these little guys and straight up melted into the floor. That's how good they are. I don't know that I ever would've thought to combine these flavors. Sure, I love gingerbread, and if you'll recall from my Butterscotch Rice Krispie Treats, I adore butterscotch, but together would they work out? Would this union last?

Folks, it does. This is a flavor marriage that I can happily say will last into eternity. I suggest you make these immediately so you too can live in gingerbread heaven...it's quite a lovely place.

Gingerbread Scotchies 

Recipe from Cooking to Perfection (adapted from Lemons for Lulu)

(makes about 40 cookies)

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup molasses
• 1 (11 oz.) package butterscotch chips

Directions:

1. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and salt in a bowl. Mix until ingredients are blended together. Set aside.
2. In a separate bowl, add butter and brown sugar and cream together. Add egg and beat into creamed butter. Add molasses and mix until incorporated.
3. Slowly add your dry ingredients to your wet, stirring until just incorporated. Do not over mix. Fold in butterscotch chips.
4. Chill dough for at least 30 minutes or overnight (I chilled mine overnight).
5. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Scoop tablespoon size cookie dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until cookies are set and begin to turn golden brown. Remove from oven and cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!

Salted Caramel Stuffed Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

I'm baaaccckkkkkk! I can't honestly remember the last time I posted two days in a row. Sad, but true. Like I said yesterday, I have been baking like a MAD WOMAN. It's fab.

Today, I've got a cookie recipe that you NEEEED to add to your Christmas cookie rotation. These are OMG DELISH. However, thanks to the nasty rain we've had, the photos of these babies aren't quite telling of how amazing they are - bleh. But, I digress...

On the outside, these may look like your ordinary chocolate crinkle cookie (coated with a glorious dusting of powdered sugar), but when you take a bit, they are magical. These cookies are stuffed with an ooey, gooey caramel. Chocolate.Cookies.Stuffed.With.Salted.Caramel. Let that soak in.

Not only are these so good that you'll probably end up eating about 15, but they are pretty and will add something new to your cookie platter this holiday season. 

These are best served warm (in my opinion), so don't be afraid to bust out some microwaveable plates for these bad boys. So scaddle and go pick up all the ingredients to make these...like now! 

Enjoy!

Salted Caramel Stuffed Chocolate Crinkle Cookies (yields 2 dozen cookies)

Recipe from Cooking Classy

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp. cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder 
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 10 tbsp. salted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 dozen caramels (such as Kraft), unwrapped 
• coarse sea salt
• powdered sugar, for dusting

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a cookie sheet by lining it with greased parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer (or a bowl fit for a hand mixer), whip together butter, granulated sugar, and light-brown sugar on medium-high speed, using the paddle attachment, until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add in eggs one at time, stirring after each addition until combined. Mix in vanilla.
4. With mixer set on low speed, slowly add in your dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
5. Scoop dough out 2 tbsp. at a time and roll into balls. Press one caramel into the center of each dough ball, sprinkling the top of the caramel with a small pinch of coarse sea salt. Then, fold the cookie dough around the caramel and salt, making sure that the caramel is fully covered with dough around all sides. Shape into a ball once more.
6. Place your cookie dough balls on your cookie sheets and bake them for 11-15 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool (note that the caramel will set after it cools, but I warmed mine up when I ate them so the caramel would be soft and gooey!). Once they are cooled, dust with powdered sugar. Store in an airtight container.

Pumpkin Toffee Cookies

Hello, beautiful.

Ok, so a couple weeks back I confessed my undying love for pumpkin. I can't get enough. Seriously.

From pumpkin muffins to pumpkin bread, pumpkin coffee to pumpkin waffles, and everything in between, I have probably consumed an entire pumpkin patch. And I'm lovin' every minute of it.

Now, while these cookies weren't on my Pumpkin Bucket List, the second I saw this recipe on Two Peas and Their Pod, I knew I had to eat them IMMEDIATELY. So, I went to the store and got everything. Best. Decision. Ever.

While Maria over at Two Peas and Their Pod topped her cookies with a Salted Caramel Glaze, I opted not to because I wanted my cookies sans glaze on this particular day. It was just one of those days. BUT, head over to her site to get the recipe for the glaze so you can fully deck out your cookies if you so please!

These cookies were super moist, with a texture more similar to pumpkin bread than your traditional cookie. The toffee bits added an extra richness, and these pair so incredibly well with a cup o' joe I can't even handle it.

I made my cookies more "bite size" than the original recipe, but feel free to make them any size you please.

Enjoy the goodness of fall with these cookies and tons of other pumpkin treats!

It's always a glorious day when you bust out a can of pumpkin.

Batter time (plus I like the olive/orange color combo goin' on) 

How fun is this plate?!

Right before I licked this plate clean.

Pumpkin Toffee Cookies
Recipe from Two Peas and Their Pod

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. ground all-spice
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cup Heath Toffee Bits or chopped Heath bars

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside. 
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, all-spice, and salt. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add in the pumpkin, egg, and vanilla extract. Beat until smooth. Slowly add in the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Stir in Heath Toffee Bits.
4. Using a cookie scoop or spoon, drop the dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Place the cookies about 1 inch apart. Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until lightly browned around the edges and set. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

The Ultimate Cookie Cup

After a busy week, I am finally back with a new recipe post! Phew!

On Fridays, after working all week, all I want to do is relax at home alllllll night with nothing to do. However, this past Friday the Olympics started (obviously - GO Team USA!) and I suddenly felt the urge to bake. Nothing like creating fattening treats to shovel down my throat while watching some of the most fit people waltz around my TV screen...HELP ME. 

I honestly wish I could be an Olympic athlete, but anyone who knows me realizes that this is clearly NOT possible. I have the coordination and athletic ability of a one-legged chicken. My parents even predicted my future athletic abilities at a young age...

3rd place...ugh.

While I may not ever participate in the Olympics (sigh), I will be spending every free moment I have until August 12th watching the games and I am THRILLED about this. This whole "once every four years" thing is such a tease...but makes it all the more exciting.

So I urge you all, as you too watch the Summer Olympics, to do it with one (or 5) of these Ultimate Cookie Cups in your hand. The recipe is insanely simple, all you need is pre-packaged cookie dough and peanut butter cups. You could opt to make your own dough if you like (1 tbsp. portions), but that may detract from your time spent staring at Ryan Lochte...

Enjoy these cookie cups and the 2012 Summer Olympics! Yahoo!

The Ultimate Cookie Cup (makes 24 cookie cups)

Recipe from Cookies and Cups

• 1 package Ready to Bake Sugar Cookie Dough (makes 24 cookies), room temperature
• 1 package Ready to Bake Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough (makes 24 cookies), room temperature
• 24 full-sized peanut butter cups

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Let your cookie dough sit out of the refrigerator for approximately 30 minutes. If it is room temperature, it will be easier to spread around your peanut butter cup.
3. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
4. Place one portion of your sugar cookie dough on the bottom of the peanut butter cup, spreading completely over the bottom. Place one portion of your chocolate chip cookie dough on top of the peanut butter cup, spreading to cover top of the peanut butter cup. Make sure that the entire peanut butter cup is covered.
5. Place in liners and bake for 13-15 minutes.
6. Let cool in muffin pan for 10 minutes and then transfer to a wire cooling rack to continue cooling.

So easy - love it!

Try to avoid eating all of these before baking. It ain't easy...

Now cover the whole peanut butter cup!!

It's tempting to eat all 24 raw...believe me!!!

DEVOUR.

Peanut Butter M&M Marshmallow Cookies

Is there anything better than Peanut Butter M&M's? Maybe, but I would argue against it. They are just too darn good. I mean, you cannot beat that peanut butter chocolate flavor. Yum.

When I first saw this recipe, I was a bit skeptical about the addition of marshmallows, but a peanut butter cookie loaded with peanut butter M&M's...I just couldn't pass it up. Thank God I didn't.

Not only are these cookies super easy to make, they are super colorful and fun cookie to indulge in. They are different, I mean have you ever had a peanut butter cookie with peanut butter M&M's and marshmallows? Didn't think so. But let me tell you, different does not mean bad.

These cookies have been enjoyed by every member of my family. My mom loved them, even though she hates marshmallows, my dad has been enjoying them as he recovers from surgery, my sister munched a couple during the Bachelorette (SEAN OR JEF OR ARIE, Y'ALL?!), and my wonderful friend Nick said they melted in his mouth. Proof enough that these need to be in your cookie jar.

These are a sweet that will satisfy every type of sweet craving. You should go bake these. Like now.


Peanut Butter M&M Marshmallow Cookies
Recipe adapted from Sweet Treats & More

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar 
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 tbsp. milk
• 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 cup Peanut Butter M&M's
• 3/4 cup mini marshmallows

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking soda and set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter until smooth. Beat in peanut butter, then sugars.
4. Add egg, vanilla, and milk and beat until smooth. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients.
5. Lastly, gently stir in Peanut Butter M&M's and mini marshmallows.
6. Place rounded tablespoons of cookie dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes before moving to a cooling rack. (Don't worry if you have oozing marshmallows! They may be messy but they taste delicious!)

That dough. Too good. 

Chewy Chocolate Chip Snickers Cookies

I have a love for chocolate chip cookies, if you haven't noticed. So, whenever I am suffering a severe sweet craving (which is typically every single day) I look for a quick cookie recipe I can consume right out of the oven.

This week, I went for these chewy chocolate chip snickers cookies...YUM. Snickers and chocolate chip cookies work very well together, let me tell you. These cookies use brown butter, which gives them a bit of a toffee flavor which is simply divine. The snickers stuffed in the middle is a nice, hidden surprise in the center of all that chewy cookie goodness.

I'm starting to think you can't go wrong with these cookie mashups.

Chewy Chocolate Chip Snickers Cookies (makes 24-30 cookies)
Recipe from Bakers Royale

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 16 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cup sliced Snickers, (approximately 4 king size candy bars or one bag of mini size snickers)
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Place flour and baking soda together in a bowl and whisk to combine; set aside.
3. Place 10 tablespoons butter in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until melted, about two minutes. Continue cooking and using the handle of pan to swirl the butter around in the skillet. Swirl butter constantly until it becomes a dark golden brown in color and gives off a nutty aroma, around 1 to 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and transfer browned butter to a large heatproof bowl. Stir in remaining 6 tablespoons of butter into hot butter until completely melted.
4. Add both sugars, salt, and vanilla to brown butter mixture and whisk until fully incorporated. Add eggs and whisk until mixture is smooth with no sugar lumps remaining, about 30 seconds. Rest the mixture for 3 minutes, then whisk for another 30 seconds. Repeat process of resting and whisking 2 more times until mixture is thick, smooth, and shiny. Using sturdy rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir in flour mixture until just combined, about 1 minute. Stir in chocolate chips giving dough final stir to ensure no flour pockets remain.
5. Using a cookie scoop, small ice cream scoop, or small spoon, scoop out approximately two heaping tablespoons of dough and flatten it into a round disc and place a Snickers slice on top. Fold edges over Snickers to seal it in. (*Optional: For added richness press in chopped Snickers on top...I didn't end up doing this!). Place cookies 2 inches apart on parchment lined baking sheets.
6. Bake cookies 1 sheet at a time until cookies are golden brown and still puffy, and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft, about 10 to 14 minutes. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack to cool cookies.

Yes, there's a Snickers wrapped up in all that deliciousness.

Chocolate Chip Toffee Cookies with Sea Salt

Note: Serving these on a Carolina Blue napkin will actually make them taste better.

If it isn't extremely obvious by the fact that I created a baking blog...I love baking. I love when ingredients come together to make something delicious AND it doesn't hurt that I have quite the sweet tooth. And as much as I love baking for myself, I find it even more enjoyable to bake for other people.

This weekend at church, I was able to catch up with some good family friends who kindly offered to be the recipients of some of my baked goods. I know the most generous people. I was excited to whip up something yummy for them because they are so darn sweet (cheesy, but true).

I chose to make these Chocolate Chip Toffee Cookies and they were a wonderful choice. They are a notch above your average chocolate chip cookies; the toffee adds an extra sweetness, while the salt provides adds a little variety. Like I said, who doesn't love the sweet and salty combo?! These will surely satisfy a variety of taste buds. Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Toffee Cookies with Sea Salt
Recipe from The Baker Chick

• 2 cups plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 12 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled until warm
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2-3/4 cup Heath Bar toffee bits
• Sea Salt for sprinkling

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. Whisk dry ingredients together in a medium bowl; set aside.
3. With electric mixer, or by hand, mix butter and sugars until thoroughly combined. Beat in egg, yolk, and vanilla until combined.
4. Add dry ingredients and beat at low-speed until just combined.
5. Stir in chocolate chips and toffee.
6. Roll cookie dough into balls and place on cookie sheet. Sprinkle with as much or as little sea salt as desired.
7. Bake for approx. 11-14 minutes, 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.