Chocolate Chip Cookies

I've had a real hankerin' for some classic chocolate chip cookies lately. I've often been a bit overwhelmed when looking for "the perfect" recipe for this classic cookie, and have just as often been disappointed with the results. This cookie is soft, not tooth-achingly-sweet and has just the right amount of chocolate in it. Just what I've been searching for!
Pair it with a cold glass of milk and you've got my favourite after dinner snack.

Not only do I love how these taste but they feel so fast to throw together. The recipe is simple enough that I'm sure I'll commit to memory after a few more times making them, and something about the melted butter step just seems to speed it all up which I'm grateful for these days.

Oatmeal Pecan Sandwich Cookies with Peanut Butter Filling

I have just found a new favourite cookie! Not that I really needed to. I mean sure the rotation of cookies being baked around here is getting a little bland but still, this is a frivolous snack we're talking about. Variety is really just the icing on the cake. Or in this case the icing sandwiched between two chewy oatmeal pecan cookies.

Orange Cornmeal Shortbread Cookies

I think we all know by now that I am not the kind of baker who needs an occasion to whip up some sweets. I think it's safe to say I believe that having a little tin of some sort of cookie lying around is almost a necessary part of making my house feel like a home. What's better than homemade cookies to offer to friends who pop by for a visit? Or when you need a quick snack before or after dinner. I actually think having cookies around keeps me from over eating sweets because otherwise I'd probably go out and buy a tub of ice cream and eat almost the whole thing in one sitting. See? Having a constant supply of sweets around is a good thing for some.

These little gems really hit the spot for craving a snack that wasn't too sweet and the cornmeal added a nice welcome change in texture.

Ginger Molasses Cookies

These are easily some of the best cookies I've ever made. I found the recipe 7 or 8 years ago while living in an apartment about the size of a closet. It was so small it didn't even have a full kitchen, just a small sink, mini fridge, two burners and a toaster oven. It's amazing to think of the things you'll put up with when you're young and seeking independence.
The first time I baked these cookies was in that toaster oven and my tiny one room apartment was filled with the most delicious aromas of molasses, ginger and cinnamon.
These cookies have the perfect texture (soft with a slightly crisp exterior) and aren't too sweet which usually means I end up eating more of them.

Pseudo Healthy Cookies

I've been making these cookies for a few years now but I feel like they've just recently earned their new title of "Pseudo Healthy".
As I mentioned the other day my husband and I are trying to eat a little healthier, drink a little less and exercise a lot more. This goal seems even more important as I just counted that we only have 10 weeks until we'll be lying on a beach in Cuba celebrating the union of some great friends. 10 weeks might sound like a long time, but I think its a realistic time frame to shape up the right way (no fasting or fad diets for us!).

However that being said I am not the kind of woman who can cut out sweets completely. I need balance!  I believe that gently giving in to cravings is better than trying to hold back from something too fiercely and then bingeing later. And by adding healthier ingredients I feel a little bit less guilty when I do give in to those sweet cravings.

Thumbprint Cookies

It feels almost wrong to make these cookies in the summer. Like they're supposed to be baked when you're looking for ways to bring the taste of summer to the dead of winter, and when your body can handle a little fattening up due to their rich buttery goodness.

But here I am in the middle of summer, excitedly trying out some of my newest preserves with these quick and simple cookies.

Lemon Almond Cookies

I'm in major need of some sunshine. But since it doesn't look like I'll be getting any anytime soon, I figured these cookies could act as a suitable replacement.

I made these cookies using this recipe from Une Gamine Dans La Cuisine. I found they needed to be baked closer to 12 minutes in my oven, but other than that I made them exactly as her recipe states.
Now all I need is a cup of tea and this gloomy day will be that much better.

Double Chocolate Cookies

I've been feeling like a bit of a chocoholic lately. 

I can say with certainty that it is completely the fault of a friend of mine who recently introduced me to the world of fine handmade chocolates. I won't go into much detail today, but I will tell you that there's a stack of polycarbonate moulds sitting on my kitchen counter, and there is some fancy schmancy single origin chocolate currently on a truck somewhere headed my way.

So why am I settling for cookies when I could have my own homemade caramel ganache filled chocolates? Well simply put those chocolates have all been eaten, and it'll be days before I have time to take another crack at pretending to be a chocolatier. 

But trust me these cookies have enough chocolate in them to keep me going until then.

Oreos

I bet you never thought you could make your own Oreos, and I bet you never thought they could taste so much better than the ones Mr. Christie makes.
But I'm here to tell you, you can and you will.

Spiced Rum Meltaways

Ok Ok. I know you are probably getting sick of cookies, I promise I'll share some "real food" with you soon. But these cookies are just too good to skip. You really must make them.

Chewy Pecan Cookies

As much as I love good old traditional christmas treats that make me nostalgic for my youth, I equally love trying out new recipes, and Martha never disappoints in providing me with ample selection of fancy goodies.

It wasn't until I had already started making these that I read the not-so-great reviews of the recipe: "Horrible!", "Molasses overkill!", "Will never make these again!", "Had to throw them out".
Yikes...
Well you'll be happy to know that those reviewers obviously just don't like molasses and nuts. And they most likely prefer overly sweet, boring, cookies. Cookies that no one will remember.

These cookies though are definitely different, memorable and really delicious.
As long as you like molasses and nuts, that is.

Mexican Wedding Cakes

The other day a friend asked me what some of my family's christmas traditions were, the kind that have lasted since childhood. I could really only think of a few.
Just as the old handmade ornaments that my brother, sister and I made as kids have disappeared over the years from our family home, perhaps some of our old traditions have too. But as I said there were a few things I could think of...
We've always listened to Handel's Messiah on vinyl, we've always eaten scrambled eggs on christmas morning (and called them "christmas eggs"), we've always used the same strand of large red and green lights on our tree, and we've always baked some mexican wedding cakes.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are the best peanut butter chocolate chip cookies I've ever made/tasted.
They encompass everything I look for in a cookie: the perfect texture, the perfect balance of sweet and salty, and of course one of the most perfect flavour pairings ever; chocolate & peanut butter.

Do yourself a favour and make a double batch.