chewy chocolate chip cookies

“better than Insomnia.” - my fiancé

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed

• 1 cup (two sticks) butter, melted (I always use salted because I like chaos)

• 2 eggs

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 3/4 tsp baking soda

• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350º. Whisk together sugars and melted butter until smooth. Whisk in eggs and vanilla one at a time.

Mix in flour and baking soda until just combined. Add chocolate chips.

Refrigerate dough until it no longer feels warm (from the melted butter) - roughly 20 minutes.

Roll into 1-inch balls and slightly flatten on cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes until they are just barely starting to turn golden brown and you think they might still be raw in the center. Remove from oven, and leave on cookie sheet for another 5 minutes to finish baking.

no-bake cookies

seriously. you can also just eat the batter out of the bowl. who cares.

• 2 cups sugar

• 1/4 cup cocoa powder

• 1/2 cup milk

• 1/2 cup (one stick) salted butter

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 1/2 cup peanut butter

• 3 cups instant oats

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine cocoa, sugar, milk, and butter. Whisk and bring to a boil for one minute, then remove from heat. Stir in vanilla, peanut butter, and oats.

Drop by generous tablespoon onto baking sheets and flatten slightly. Refrigerate until firm and no longer shiny.

butter nut balls

also known as snowball cookies. makes 16-20 depending on size of cookies.

• 1 cup butter, softened

• 1/4 cup confectioners sugar plus extra

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Preheat the oven to 350º. Mix butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add vanilla, flour, and nuts, and mix well. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.

Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper if you have it; if not, just don’t grease the pan and you’ll be fine. Bake 12-15 minutes until light brown.

While the cookies are still warm, roll in extra confectioners sugar. When storing, place extra confectioners sugar in the containers as well so the cookies stay coated.

blondies

you probably have all of these things in your pantry already. serves an 8” square pan but I recommend doubling and using a 9x13” pan.

• 1 stick butter

• 1 cup lightly packed brown sugar

• 1 egg

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1/4 tsp salt if the butter is unsalted

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• optional: 1/2 cup chocolate chips, nuts (I like pecans), shredded coconut

Preheat the oven to 350º. Line an 8” square pan with parchment paper or tinfoil; parchment paper works better but let’s be honest, you don’t have that.

Melt the butter in the microwave in 20 second intervals. Once melted, add the brown sugar and mix well until it no longer separates. If you are using a mixer, now is the time. Add egg, vanilla, and salt, and mix well.

Add the flour, and mix the crap out of it. If you are mixing by hand, aim for 50 strokes. If using a mixer, mix on low for 3-5 minutes until the batter all comes together.

Fold in your add ins, if using. Pour into the lined pan and bake 20-25 minutes, until the centers look slightly raw with golden brown edges. Allow to cool in the pan.

snickerdoodles

These have the most addicting texture. Makes about 24 though I am a horrible cookie measurer.

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

• 1 1/2 cups sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 2 3/4 cup flour

• 1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp salt

• for cinnamon sugar: 1/4 cup sugar, 1 1/2 tbs cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350º. In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar for about 5 minutes or until fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add eggs and vanilla; mix well. Add baking soda, salt, and cream of tartar, and mix until combined. Mix in the flour in parts.

If you have time, chill the dough for 30 minutes - optional.

Combine the cinnamon sugar in a small bowl. Form 1 inch balls of dough, and roll them in cinnamon sugar. Place on the cookie sheet and gently press down.

Bake for 9-10 minutes or until barely golden on the bottoms. Remove from cookie sheet immediately.