ISO: Fine Cooking Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie

[britneyelise]

I saw this recipe at the store today and unfortunately I forgot the magazine! I really wanted to make this, it is in the newest issue, anyone have it? I know it starts out with 10 tablespoons COLD butter, but thats it. Thanks for all your help.

[LauraBL]

I got the issue in the mail last night.

Chewy Chocolate-Chip Cookies

Yields about 9 dozen 2 1/2-inch cookies.

Notes from the article: I use butter and eggs right out of the refrigerator so the dough stays cool and the cookies maintain their thickness during baking; I also use ungreased cookie sheets. To keep the cookies soft and chewy, store them in an airtight container along with a slice of bread.

10 3/4 ounces (1 1/3 cups) unsalted butter, cold
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, cold
1 T. pure vanilla extract
17 ounces (3 3/4 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/4 t. table salt
1 t. baking soda
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

Arrange oven racks in the upper and middle positions of the oven. Heat the oven to 375ºF.

Using a mixer fitted with a paddle, beat together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar, starting on low speed and gradually working your way up to high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes once you reach high speed. Scrape the bowl and beater. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat on low until blended. Beat on high until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Scrape the bowl and beater.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Add this to the butter mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until just blended; the dough will be stiff. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Drop rounded measuring teaspoons of dough about 2 inches apart onto two ungreased baking sheets. Refrigerate any unused dough. Bake until the bottoms are golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through for even results. Remove the sheets from the oven, let sit for 3 to 5 minutes, and then transfer the cookies with a spatula to a wire rack to cool completely. Let the baking sheets cool completely before baking the remaining dough.

[britneyelise]

Thank you for typing this up for me. I am currently on a search for the best chocolate chip cookie (must be thick and chewy, but NOT cakey) I saw this in the store and thought it was rather interesting that it did not start with softened butter, but rather cold butter. I am going to make them today!

[LauraBL]

Good for you. Chocolate chip cookies are a very noble pursuit. Let us all know how they turned out.

[claire797]

Yum. I have a batch of chocolate chip cookies in the oven right now, though I should have used the Fine Cooking recipe. This recipe I'm working with now is weird. It's from Pam Anderson's "Cooksmart". If these are any good, I'll post the recipe.

BritneyElise, have you tried the recipe that uses vanilla pudding? So far, that one is my favorite cc cookie recipe.

[claire797]

Here's a link to the recipe I tried today -- Pam Anderson's "Puffy, Chewy, Choclatey, Crispy Cookies"

http://www.usaweekend.com/01_issues/010819/010819cooksmart.html

They are pretty good, but you really have to keep on top of the cooking process. She advises 8-10 minutes at 400 and then 8 minutes at 350. My first batch (luckily it was small!) burnt following these directions. The second batch I cooked at 400 for 5 minutes and then 350 for about 7. That worked.

Anyway. This recipe is different. These cookies are puffy and crispy on the outside but chewy on the inside.

Here's a picture.

http://www.ginsberg.com/anna/pufchocchip.jpg

[kimmurphy94]

The Alton Brown "Chewy" Chocolate Chip cookie is now the only kind I make. They are the best.

Here is the link, if you're interested!

AB's Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie (http://www.foodtv.com/foodtv/recipe/0,6255,14488,00.html)

[britneyelise]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Tonight I made the Cooks Illustrated Chewy Chocolate Chip cookies to which I added pecans, these were just awesome! I can't wait to try the Fine Cooking, Pam Anderson, and Alton Brown recipes.

You can never have to many chocolate chip cookies!

[AD]

I just wanted to bump up this thread to see if britneyelise (or anyone else) had tried the "Fine Cooking" chocolate chip cookies.

[LauraBL]

AD-

Thanks for posting the Alton Brown choc chip cookie recipe. I'll definitely give that a try. I've been mostly making my 8th grade home ec teacher's recipe which uses equal parts shortening and butter. I tried the "Chocholate Chip Cookies with Salt" on epicurious but found the cookies kind of gross, although the kosher salt sprinkled on top was good! Salty and Sweet. Such a great combo.

Laura

[britneyelise]

Just made these today.

They have a wonderful texture, rich and chewy and the bonus is that you don't have to wait for the butter to soften. This recipe makes a huge amount of cookies, so watch out!

They were delicious, although we like the flavor better in the Cooks Illustrated Chocolate Chip Cookie, now if you could combine the two, have the texture of the Fine COoking one and the flavor of the Cooks Illustrated one, it would be perfect!

[LauraBL]

Please post the Cooks Illustrated choc chip recipe! Please! Please! Please!

[britneyelise]

MamaSue, I think, posted this:


Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 18 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Cookies/Bars

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 1/8 cups all-purpose flour -- (2 cups plus 2 tablespoons)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
12 tablespoons unsalted butter -- (1 1/2 sticks)
melted and cooled until warm
1 cup light or dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cups semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips -- (1 to 2)


1. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Adjust oven racks to upper- and lower- middle positions. Mix flour, salt, and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.

2. Either by hand or with electric mixer, mix butter and sugars until thoroughly blended. Mix in egg, yolk, and vanilla. Add dry ingredients; mix until just combined. Stir in desired amount of chips.

3. Form scant 1/4 cup dough into ball. Holding dough ball using fingertips of both hands, pull into two equal halves. Each half will have a jagged surface where it was ripped from the other; rotate each half up so the jagged surface faced the ceiling and press the halves back into one ball so that the top surface remains jagged. (The nooks and crannies you have created will give the baked cookies an attractive and somewhat rough, uneven appearance.) Place formed dough onto one of two parchment paper-lined cookie sheets, about 9 balls per sheet.

4. Bake, reversing cookies sheets' positions halfway through baking, until cookies are light golden brown and outer edges start to harden yet centers are still soft and puffy, 15 to 18 minutes (start checking at 13 minutes). Cool cookies on cookie sheets. Serve or store in airtight container.

Recipe provided by the editors of Cook's Illustrated.

Weight Watchers: 1 cookie = 5 points

Sue's Notes: I didn't perform the "pull, rip and rotate" thing. Used silpats and also used a cookie scoop which is probably about a good heaping tablespoon of dough. They came out fine.

Source:
"Cook's Illustrated"


NOTES From Cooks Illustrated : Getting the Recipe Right
Most cookies start with creamed butter. Creaming incorporates air into the dough, resulting in an undesirable (in these cookies) lightness. Our thoughts sifted to chewy brownies and blondies, both of which typically begin with melted butter. We tried both creamed and melted butter and found that melted butter did indeed give us the dense, chewy texture that we were after. Then, we tried unbleached and bleached flour to see which would yield the most tender cookie. Bleached flour, with less protein than unbleached flour, helps make the cookie crispy and crunchy on the outside and tender inside. The texture of the just-baked cookies was good, but as they cooled, they hardened.

We turned to the one factor that we hadn't yet fully examined--the egg factor--and found that one whole egg plus one egg yolk keeps the cookies soft and pliable hours after emerging from the oven. Also, cooling the cookies directly on the cookie sheet promotes the soft, chewy texture. Finally, we had a thick, chewy chocolate-chip cookie that could rival any gourmet bakery's.
The simple cookie with the gourmet touch

[claire797]

The Cooksmart cookies are very good too. They are very puffy but not cakey. If anyone else tries them, let me know. Also, if you do try them, I'd be interested to know how long you cook them. I cooked mine at 400 for about 6 minutes then dropped the temp to 350 for 6 more minutes. Anderson's recipe says 8 minutes at 400 and 8 minutes at 350. That was WAY too long for my oven.

[aka]

My current favourite chocolate chip cookie is from the cookbook "Baking by Flavor" by Lisa Yockelson [Does anyone else own this cookbook...I think I need to start a fan club or something because I am absolutely crazy about this cookbook!] Anyway, I checked this out of the library in December, put it on the Christmas list and when it couldn't be found, bought it for myself (on sale) last week. I made these cookies twice (once when I had the book from the library and then as soon as I got it last week). I'm putting the recipe in this chocolate chip cookie thread, but the recipe actually calls for chopped up chocolate chunks and not chocolate chips (but chocolate chips could also be used).

Generally I'm not a huge fan of nuts in things, but certain nuts I'm OK with...my husband likes the nuts less than I do, but when it comes to these cookies, neither one of us can get enough of them. I use a heaping tablespoon for each cookie (not the two tablespoons called for in the recipe) and bake for a shorter amount of time (actually, I use my pampered chef baking stone and find that each batch takes less and less time so if you do make these, be warned). I check the first batch after 12 minutes and then take it from there.

OK, enough preamble (although I could talk about this cookbook at length)...here are the cookies. Reminder that the calorie count is based on the 2 tablespoon/33 cookie yield amount from the cookbook.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Almond and Bittersweet Chocolate Nugget Cookies

Recipe By :Lisa Yockelson
Serving Size : 33 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : almond coconut
cookies

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour -- plus 3 tablespoons
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter -- softened
2 tablespoons shortening -- plus 2 teaspoons
2 1/3 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate -- cut into 1/2 - 3/4 inch nuggets
1 cup sweetened coconut flakes -- lightly packed
2/3 cup slivered almonds -- lightly toasted and cooled

Preheat the oven to 325.

Whisk the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt in a small mixing bowl.

Cream the butter and shortening in the large bowl on a mixer on moderately low speed for 2 minutes. Add the light brown sugar and beat for 1 minute. Add the sugar and beat for a minute longer.

Blend in the egg and the extracts. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl with a rubber spatula to keep the dough even-textured.

On low speed, add the whisked flour mixture in two additions, beating just until the particles of flour are absorbed. Work in the chocolate nuggets, coconut, and almonds using a wooden spoon or flat wooden paddle.

Spoon rounded (not flat) 2-tablespoon-size mounds of dough onto cookie sheets, spacing the mounds about 3 inches apart. Place nine mounds of dough on each sheet.

Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 16 to 18 minutes, or until just set and pale golden around the edges. Let the cookies stand on the sheets for 2 minutes, then remove them to cooling racks, using a sturdy spatula. Store the cookies in an airtight tin.

Freshly baked, the cookies keep for 3 days.

Source:
"Baking By Flavour, page 131"
Yield:
"33 cookies"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 199 Calories; 12g Fat (48.7% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 25g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 13mg Cholesterol; 37mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Fruit; 2 1/2 Fat; 1 Other Carbohydrates.


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

[LauraBL]

Oh my gosh those sound great! I wonder if I could talk my supper club into a choc chip bake-a-thon!

[claire797]

Just did a side by side taste test with the Fine Cooking cookies and the Alton Brown cookies. The Alton Brown cookies are very tender, almost cakelike while the Fine Cooking Cookies are dense and heavy. I think the Fine Cooking cookies are a little better, but they still aren't as good as the chocolate chip cookie with pudding mix recipe. Next on my list is the Cook's Illustrated cookie.

BTW. For those of you who make the Alton Brown cookies, do you really cook them for 14 minutes? Mine only took 9 minutes.

[Gracie]

Claire - Which Alton Brown CC cookie are you referring to? The Puffy or The Chewy?

Loren

[claire797]

Originally posted by Gracie
Claire - Which Alton Brown CC cookie are you referring to? The Puffy or The Chewy?

Loren

I made "The Chewy".

[erin elizabeth]

I have adopted AB's chewy recipe as my own and I do bake mine for 14 minutes. The key is that I really make them as big as he says--so only 6 fit on a tray. Most end up being a little smaller than my spread out hand. Huge, but delicious, and not at all cakey, but, as the name implies :) chewy!

[pattiarl]

While we are on the subject of CC cookies, I am looking for one that is crisp and brown sugary. Martha has a recipe (is it Alexis? recipe) but it calls for two sticks of butter and I just can't do that. Maybe that is what it takes to make this kind of cookie, but I am hopeful that you guys have a recipe that won't be so bad for you.

Thanks.

P.S. I like Alton's chewy, too.

Patti O.

[Jill123]

I use my grandma's recipe that she's used since forever. Actually, I think she got it years and years ago (before my dad was born even) out of a church cookbook. They're a little on the cakey side, but they make really good chocolate chip bars!!

I don't have the recipe here, but I'll try to remember to post it tonight (before DH takes me out to a romantic dinner! :D)

[catbatty]

Originally posted by kimmurphy94
The Alton Brown "Chewy" Chocolate Chip cookie is now the only kind I make. They are the best.

Here is the link, if you're interested!

AB's Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie (http://www.foodtv.com/foodtv/recipe/0,6255,14488,00.html)

I get error page when I use this link -- I can see that it is a valid link...but I think maybe they took it down or something. Would somebody please post the Alton Brown cookie because you all have me drooling. THANKS much. (Or maybe the link will work again..maybe they just have the site down for a few....)

[JKS]

A while ago, there was a thread about the best CC cookies. I tried some of the others, but I still think this is the BEST recipe!! The flavor is unbeatable. They're chewy on the inside, crisp on the outside. YUM. I use pecans, and I don't do the Hershey bar, I just toss in extra chocolate chips.

Aka, those Almond and Bittersweet Chocolate Nugget Cookies look incredible! I have to try those. Thanks for posting.



NEIMAN-MARCUS COOKIES (Recipe may be halved)

2 cups butter
4 cups flour
2 tsp. soda
2 cups sugar
5 cups blended oatmeal
24 oz. Chocolate chips
2 cups brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 8-oz. Hershey Bar (grated)
4 eggs
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. vanilla
3 cups chopped nuts (your choice)

*Measure oatmeal and blend in a blender to a fine powder.
*Cream the butter and both sugars
*Add eggs and vanilla, mix together with flour,
oatmeal, salt, baking powder, and soda.
*Add chocolate chips, Hershey Bar and nuts.
*Roll into balls and place two inches apart on a cookie sheet.
*Bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees.
Makes 112 cookies.

[claire797]

Thanks, JKS. I've tried that Neiman Marcus recipe and it is good. Did you know there's another NM recipe? Apparently, the other version uses espresso powder. It's supposed to be good too, but I haven't tried it. Here it is.

The Real Neiman Marcus Chocolate Chip Cookies
from the kitchen of Neiman Marcus
Makes 12 to 15 large cookies

Rate this recipe
Alongside unbelievable urban myths resides the Neiman Marcus $250 cookie fabrication. NM has never charged anyone anything for a recipe, but the story still persists. Help stamp out untrue gossip by forwarding our free chocolate chip cookie recipe to any naysayers out there!—From the NM Web site


The Real Neiman Marcus Cookie

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons instant espresso, slightly crushed
8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips


Method
1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).

2. Cream the butter and sugars until fluffy.

3. Beat in the egg and the vanilla extract.

4. Combine the dry ingredients and beat into the butter mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips.

5. Drop by large spoonfuls (2 1/4 ounces each) onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or 10 to 12 minutes for a crisper cookie.

[tracey67]

I get error page when I use this link -- I can see that it is a valid link...but I think maybe they took it down or something. Would somebody please post the Alton Brown cookie because you all have me drooling. THANKS much. (Or maybe the link will work again..maybe they just have the site down for a few....)

Maureen (Kima) reposted the two recipes yesterday (one makes "chewy" cookies, the other makes "puffy" cookies). I added them to Mastercook, here they are:


* Exported from MasterCook *

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 30 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Cookies

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 sticks butter
2 1/4 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 375 degrees F.

Melt the butter in a heavy-bottom medium saucepan over low heat. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda and set aside.

Pour the melted butter in the mixers work bowl. Add the sugar and brown sugar. Cream the butter and sugars on medium speed. Add the egg, yolk, 2 tablespoons milk and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture until thoroughly combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Chill the dough, then scoop onto parchment-lined baking sheets, 6 cookies per sheet. Bake for 14 minutes or until golden brown, checking the cookies after 5 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet for even browning. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.


Source:
"Alton Brown"
Yield:
"2 1/2 dozen"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 180 Calories; 10g Fat (48.1% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 22g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 30mg Cholesterol; 173mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 2 Fat; 1 Other Carbohydrates.



* Exported from MasterCook *

Puffy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 30 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Cookies

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 cup butter-flavored Crisco
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 1/4 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Combine the shortening, sugar, and brown sugar in the mixers work bowl, and cream until light and fluffy. In the meantime, sift together the cake flour, salt, and baking powder and set aside.

Add the eggs 1 at a time to the creamed mixture. Then add vanilla. Increase the speed until thoroughly incorporated.

With the mixer set to low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the shortening and combine well. Stir in the chocolate chips. Chill the dough. Scoop onto parchment-lined baking sheets, 6 per sheet. Bake for 13 minutes or until golden brown and puffy, checking the cookies after 5 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet for even browning. Cool and store in an airtight-container.

Source:
"Alton Brown"
Yield:
"2 1/2 dozen"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 185 Calories; 10g Fat (47.8% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 23g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 12mg Cholesterol; 94mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 2 Fat; 1 Other Carbohydrates.

[claire797]

Thanks for posting The Chewy and The Puffy. I have to admit, I was kind of disappointed in The Chewy. They were very tender and light, but I prefer a denser cookie. The Puffy ones were okay. I made them last year and haven't felt the need to repeat the recipe. I remember them as being pretty cakey.

Pudding Cookies still top the list.

[cinbis]

Claire, did you post the recipe for the cookies with pudding? I scanned through this thread twice and didn't see it. I'd love to try that if you don't mind posting it. Thank you!

[claire797]

Originally posted by cinbis
Claire, did you post the recipe for the cookies with pudding? I scanned through this thread twice and didn't see it. I'd love to try that if you don't mind posting it. Thank you!

Here ya go!

Chocolate Chip Cookies With Pudding

2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
1 cup butter (softened)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 3.4 oz package vanilla instant pudding 1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
12 oz bag Nestle Tollhouse Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 375.
Mix flour, salt, soda and set aside. Cream together butter, sugars, eggs, pudding mix and vanilla. Beat well. Slowly stir in dry ingredients and chocolate chips. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Let cool.

Note: One variation I like is butterscotch pudding mix and butterscotch chips. Mmmmmmmm!!!

[LauraBL]

Anna-

Thanks for posting that choc chip w/ pudding recipe. I've got to give that a try. I love some pistachio pudding.....I wonder how weird that would be in a cookie?? hehe

Well, I thought I had settled on Alton Brown's the chewy as my new favorite standard but then I tried the Fine Cooking Chewy and I am a convert. I love the crackly top of the cookie and then it's nice and chewy inside. I'm glad I only made a half batch!

Laura

[claire797]

Originally posted by LauraBL
Anna-

Thanks for posting that choc chip w/ pudding recipe. I've got to give that a try. I love some pistachio pudding.....I wonder how weird that would be in a cookie?? hehe

Well, I thought I had settled on Alton Brown's the chewy as my new favorite standard but then I tried the Fine Cooking Chewy and I am a convert. I love the crackly top of the cookie and then it's nice and chewy inside. I'm glad I only made a half batch!

Laura

Laura,

You should try the pistachio. I was very impressed with how the butterscotch variation worked.

I liked the Fine Cooking cookies better than the Alton Brown cookies too.

[cinbis]

Thank you, Claire both versions sound great! I have to bake for a PTA meeting this week. I think I'll try the butterscotch.

[claire797]

Originally posted by cinbis
Thank you, Claire both versions sound great! I have to bake for a PTA meeting this week. I think I'll try the butterscotch.

Gosh, they're good -- and different too. Make sure you use the butterscotch chips :)

[catbatty]

Originally posted by tracey67


Maureen (Kima) reposted the two recipes yesterday (one makes "chewy" cookies, the other makes "puffy" cookies). I added them to Mastercook, here they are:





Tracey for MC'ing and posting for me and to Kima who first posted em ----

Thank you very much. I appreciate this. :)

-brenda

[tracey67]

You're welcome! If you make them, let us know what you think (I haven't tried either recipe yet).

[JHolcomb]

Originally posted by claire797

BritneyElise, have you tried the recipe that uses vanilla pudding? So far, that one is my favorite cc cookie recipe.

These are evil. This has been my grandma's standard recipe for years and I can eat a dozen at one sitting. Haven't made them myself in about 5 or 6 years. I'm looking for something to break my no sugar fast...maybe I'll have to cook up a batch of these and maybe a batch of the CI or Fine Cooking ones. Mmmmm....mamaw's cookies...

[AzAnne]

I have been on a quest for the past month or so, to make the best chocolate chip cookies. Some recipes have come close, others were left in the cookie jar untouched :( . My latest batch, yesterday, were wonderful, until they cooled and turned rock hard!!! I think I might have over cooked them. :D

I am definitely going to try the Fine Cooking recipe next.

A co-worker gave me the vanilla pudding recipe and I tried it a couple of week ago and agree they were quite good!

She also gave me this recipe for Oatmeal Cinnamon Chip Cookies, sound strange? They are very, very good! I think next time I will add more raisins.


Oatmeal Cinnamon Chip Cookies



Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 Cup Butter -- softened
1 Cup Brown Sugar
1/3 Cup Sugar
2 Ea Eggs
1 1/2 Tsps Vanilla
1 1/2 Cups Flour
1 Tsp Baking Soda
2 1/2 Cups Oats -- quick cooking
10 oz Pkg Cinnamon Chips
3/4 Cup Raisins

Heat oven to 350 degrees

Beat butter, brown sugar and sugar in bowl until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla, beat well. Combine flour and baking soda, add to butter mixture, beating well. Stir in oats, cinnamon chips and raisins. (batter will be stiff)

Drop by heaping teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool 1 minute, remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack.

Bar Variation:
Spread batter into a lightly greased 13x9x2 baking pan. Bake at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool; cut into bars.

Yield:
"4 Dozen"

[claire797]

Anne,

Maybe this nifty little page will help you with your quest.

http://suncoastfl.com/cookies.html

[Kayla]

AzAnne - thanks for posting that recipe! I've been looking for a good one to use with cinnamon chips, and now I can't wait to try these... I still have my Aunt's mixer here with me, so maybe even this week :)

Kayla

Originally posted by claire797
...Maybe this nifty little page will help you with your quest.

http://suncoastfl.com/cookies.html ...

Thanks for that link! So much good stuff on there :D

[AzAnne]

Originally posted by claire797
Anne,

Maybe this nifty little page will help you with your quest.

http://suncoastfl.com/cookies.html


Thanks for the link Claire! That will keep me busy for at least a couple of weeks ;) .

I bought some peanut butter chips yesterday, so now I'm searching for a recipe for chocolate volcanos, or at least that's what I think there called. Moist, fudgy chocolate cookies that are just begging for peanut butter chips :p

[claire797]

Originally posted by AzAnne



Thanks for the link Claire! That will keep me busy for at least a couple of weeks ;) .

I bought some peanut butter chips yesterday, so now I'm searching for a recipe for chocolate volcanos, or at least that's what I think there called. Moist, fudgy chocolate cookies that are just begging for peanut butter chips :p

Yum! Those sound really good. I've never made volcano cookies before.

I did find one recipe though -- I'm sure you've seen this already, but here's the link.

http://recipe-chocolate.com/14/082433.SHTML

[AzAnne]

woohoo! thanks claire. I hadn't found that one and it looks pretty close to what I remember. I will post a review after my experiment :)

[claire797]

Originally posted by AzAnne
woohoo! thanks claire. I hadn't found that one and it looks pretty close to what I remember. I will post a review after my experiment :)

Cool! Can't wait to hear how they taste.

[cinbis]

The Chocolate Volcanos sound like my mother's Chocolate Crinkle Cookie recipe. I'm going to look hers up and see if it's the same. If it is, they're great! I haven't had them in years, but always a favorite.

[cinbis]

I looked up my mother's old cookie recipe and the Chocolate Volcanos are exactly the same! She'll get a laugh out of that!

[leightx]

bumping up to the top...

I made the Fine Cooking cookies last night - yum! I like this recipe the best so far, but then again, I haven't tried the pudding ones! :D I tried AB's "The Chewy" but I don't *think* I liked it as well (then again, it's been a while...).

I made the whole recipe, put one batch in the oven and froze the rest. I'll see how the frozen version comes out later this week.

[Kayla]

I'm glad you bumped - I look forward to trying the FC recipe when I get home. Nothing better than a great way to make a new house a home by baking a batch of cookies.

I've tried the pudding recipe before, although I think mine is slightly different. It's from a pudding add in a magazine from the seventies. I can post it when I'm home if anyone is interested.

Also - I came across this recipe that I cannot WAIT to try. I think I'm going to cut down on the number of chocolate chips though, as well as chill the dough at least a few hour since experience from the past tells me that using melted butter can make the cookies spread like man. Also, I'm not going to grease the pans, but instead use parchment.

The Chewiest Chip Cookies Ever

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips*

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets or
line with parchment paper.
2. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon.
4. REFRIDGERATE to chill!
5. Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time** onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart.
6. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes*** before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Notes:

*I think I might cut the chips down to about 1 cup and add some nuts.
**I might also make the cookies a bit smaller than 1/4 cup unless I'm feeling dramatic ;)
***Also, I think baking the cookies less time (about 12 minutes) and letting them cool almost completely on the sheets will make 'em real chewy.

just edited to add that I think these are fairly similar to the one's posted by Maureen (Kima) and then reposted on this thread - there are slightly different measurements though...

[claire797]

Just made the Neiman Marcus cookies -- the ones with the espresso powder. They're pretty good! I can't give a fair evaluation because these just came out of the oven and my Alton Brown cookies have sat for a day, but I think I like the NM Cookies better. Here's a picture of the cookies side by side. The one on the left is the AB cookie and the one on the right is the NM cookie. Can you see the little specks in the NM cookie? Those are espresso powder flecks. I'm getting a caffeine buzz just looking at them.

So far, my order of preference is 1) Pudding Cookies 2) Fine Cooking Cookies 3) Toll House Recipe. Everything else comes in 4rth.

http://www.ginsberg.com/anna/altonneiman.jpg

[cinbis]

Claire, where do you buy Espresso Powder? I've looked in the past and have not been able to find it. I bought the Butterscotch chips and pudding today. I'm going to bake the pudding cookies tomorrow! Hope I don't do too much sampling!!! I wonder how Pistachio nuts would be with Pistachio pudding instead of chips....just a thought!

[yorkshirepud]

Originally posted by cinbis
Claire, where do you buy Espresso Powder?

I think I've seen it in Starbucks.

[Kayla]

Originally posted by claire797
Just made the Neiman Marcus cookies -- the ones with the espresso powder. They're pretty good! ...

... So far, my order of preference is 1) Pudding Cookies 2) Fine Cooking Cookies 3) Toll House Recipe. Everything else comes in 4rth.

Thank you! The pictures look excellent - and remember, a baking-cookies day can never be a slow day ;) :)

Out of curiosity... the pudding cookies - have you posted a picture of those anywhere? Please don't go and do it... I was just wondering if there already existed a thread.

Cheers and happy cookie munchin',
Kayla

[claire797]

Originally posted by yorkshirepud


I think I've seen it in Starbucks.

I bought it at the grocery store. I've only seen one brand -- Medaglia de Ora. Here's a picture:

http://www.redbagcollection.com/medaglia-instant.gif



Kayla, I do have a picture of the pudding cookies. These are the ones with vanilla pudding. The butterscotch version look quite different -- they are a butterscotch color....very unique looking. I don't know why I didn't take a picture of them.

http://www.ginsberg.com/anna/chocolatechip.JPG

[Kayla]

Originally posted by claire797
...Kayla, I do have a picture of the pudding cookies. These are the ones with vanilla pudding. The butterscotch version look quite different -- they are a butterscotch color....very unique looking. I don't know why I didn't take a picture of them.

Oh, thank you! Those look great - you're quite the baker!

Your recommendation of the butterscotch flavoured cookies sound to die for... I'll definitely be trying those - maybe split the batch in half? Although, I don't know what I'd do with half a bag of left-over pudding mix :rolleyes: ;)

Kayla :D

[cinbis]

Thank you Claire. That brand looks familiar. I'll take a look when I go shopping on Thursday. Your cookies look so good! I can't wait to make the butterscotch ones!

[claire797]

Originally posted by Kayla


Oh, thank you! Those look great - you're quite the baker!

Your recommendation of the butterscotch flavoured cookies sound to die for... I'll definitely be trying those - maybe split the batch in half? Although, I don't know what I'd do with half a bag of left-over pudding mix :rolleyes: ;)

Kayla :D

I just save the leftover pudding mix and use it for another 1/2 batch at another time.

[cinbis]

The Butterscotch Pudding cookies are SO good! I made them this afternoon. Fortunately, they're for a PTA meeting or I would have eaten more! I can't wait to try to Chocolate Chip version. Thank you, Claire for sharing this recipe!

[Kayla]

Thanks, Anna - then to breaking the batch in half it is!

:D Kayla

[emily]

I've been making those pudding cookies for years. My mom originally go the recipe from a Jello Instant Pudding Box. The ex-BF's favorite version is with chocolate fudge pudding and chocolate chips. I like the chocolate pudding with butterscotch chips. The possibilities are endless really :)

I think I'll try the Fine Cooking version next!

Emily

[claire797]

We started talking about chocolate chip cookies over in the carrot cake thread so I thought I'd move the conversation over here.

Just wanted to let everyone know that Kari (Pilgrim), S'Kat (Shelley) and I have started a search for the perfect chocolate chip cookie. So far, here are the results. We did just make what we *think* is a 5, but that doesn't mean we're going to stop.

http://www.ginsberg.com/anna/blogchart.htm

[erin elizabeth]

Can I suggest you try Alton Brown's various recipes(foodtv.com)? Or just the chewey which is my standard cc cookie recipe :) For purely selfish reasons of course! I'll have to copy the "5" recipe and try it one of these days...

[claire797]

Originally posted by erin elizabeth
Can I suggest you try Alton Brown's various recipes(foodtv.com)? Or just the chewey which is my standard cc cookie recipe :) For purely selfish reasons of course! I'll have to copy the "5" recipe and try it one of these days...

Erin, I made the Alton Brown cookies awhile back -- way before I started the chart. At some point, we'll all have to bake them again and see how they score. We're basing them on our own opinions, our DH's opinions and co-workers (sort of).

[greysangel]

I have yet to try them ...however I had two taste testers for the "5" chocolate chip cookies.

They are truly a five. From a baking/visual standpoint, they are perfect looking...golden brown, buttery, just a slight puffiness. DH's favorite is oatmeal raisin but he bit into one and said "mmmm, these are really really good". Neighbor next door said it was the best chocolate chip cookie he's ever eaten and went to get some milk :D I brought some into the office today, it's 9:05 and people are already peeking through the saran wrap :D

Thanks Claire...I can't wait to dig into one myself!

JeAnne

[claire797]

Originally posted by greysangel
I have yet to try them ...however I had two taste testers for the "5" chocolate chip cookies.

They are truly a five. From a baking/visual standpoint, they are perfect looking...golden brown, buttery, just a slight puffiness. DH's favorite is oatmeal raisin but he bit into one and said "mmmm, these are really really good". Neighbor next door said it was the best chocolate chip cookie he's ever eaten and went to get some milk :D I brought some into the office today, it's 9:05 and people are already peeking through the saran wrap :D

Thanks Claire...I can't wait to dig into one myself!

JeAnne

Cool! Can I quote you on the blog and in my chart :) ?

[greysangel]

absolutely.

I'm convinced it's the cream of tartar and butter as far as texture. I also used Ghiradelli chips :cool:

JeAnne

[claire797]

Originally posted by greysangel
absolutely.

I'm convinced it's the cream of tartar and butter as far as texture. I also used Ghiradelli chips :cool:

JeAnne

Maybe. This is the only CC recipe I've ever found with cream of tartar. And interestingly enough, this cookie is proportionately lower in fat than most because it has less butter, more flour and fewer eggs.

[greysangel]

I'm not a scientist by any means, but I'm thinking maybe the cream of tartar sort of "lifts it" giving it that puff in the oven which settles a bit once it's cooled. The butter gives it the golden crispy chew? My cookies also took a little longer than 15 minutes, but I was short of 4 dozen by about 6 or 7...and I didn't touch the dough. I knew if I even licked my fingers it would have been all over ;) :o

JeAnne

[britneyelise]

Can I just add my praise for the Neilsen-Massey recipe. I have made it twice in the past three days. Each time I have made them, somehow my sister finds her way over to my house to snatch up a bag. I asked her how her husband and son liked the first batch and she said they never made it into the house. The bag of about 24 cookies stayed in her car so that no one else could have them. I even made six large cookies with the dough so that I could make ice cream sandwiches. Unfortunately when I went to get them out of the freezer, all I saw was an empty pan. My mom had gone into the freezer and eaten the cookies frozen! They are that good. My father looked at the bag of 12 cookies the morning after I made the first batch and said "are these for me to take to work?" I told him sure and he said they were gone by 10am. My nephew who is not a sweets type little boy downed two cookies in 5 minutes. I have been officially told to stop all searches for chocolate chip cookie recipes. Thanks so much Claire!

Shannon

[greysangel]

and she said they never made it into the house. The bag of about 24 cookies stayed in her car so that no one else could have them

OH MY GOD THIS MADE ME LAUGH SO HARD MY WATER ALMOST CAME RIGHT BACK OUT!

:D :D :D :D

And the big cookie for ice cream sandwiches is a mighty fine idea :)

JeAnne

[greysangel]

and she said they never made it into the house. The bag of about 24 cookies stayed in her car so that no one else could have them

OH MY GOD THIS MADE ME LAUGH SO HARD MY WATER ALMOST CAME RIGHT BACK OUT!

:D :D :D :D

And the big cookie for sandwiches is a mighty fine idea :)

JeAnne

[Vicanddi]

Ok, after reading all these yummy-sounding recipes and reviews, I think I may just have to make some CC Cookies. The pictures are what really pushed me over the edge! :D :D

I thought I had the best CC Cookies recipe, but now I'm not so sure. From what I've read on this site, it sounds like the pudding cookies are the best. (Please correct me if I'm wrong, there are several pages in this thread)

Thanks! :)

[greysangel]

The one I'm raving about is the Nielson Masey Vanilla cookie. I just used Penzey's vanilla though :)

j

[claire797]

Dianne,
I really love the pudding cookies, however, my "perfect cookie search" cohorts (that would be S'Kat and Pilgrim) deemed them too cakey. I still love the pudding cookies, but the Nielsen-Massey cookies are better.

Here's a link to the recipe for those who don't want to go to the chart.

http://www.nielsenmassey.com/recipe23.htm

Here's the chart link again

http://www.ginsberg.com/anna/blogchart.htm

[aggie94]

Okay, okay - I'm gonna have to make these very soon. One question: the recipe instructions say to "Mix butter, sugars, vanilla and eggs in large bowl." The cc cookie recipes I've used have always said to beat butter and sugar until creamy, then add eggs one at a time, beating well in between. Did you guys just throw everything in the bowl together? And does it make any difference?

[britneyelise]

I am not sure about anyone else, but I did like you do with most cookies, beating the butter and sugars together and then adding the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla. I will be very interested to see if anyone did throw it all in the bowl, i just couldn't do it, I had bad visions of lumpy butter and wet, sugary eggs like a sort of curd looking blob!

[Gracie]

I love the chart! I am going to have to try the Nielsen-Massey cookies. I still have yet to try the pudding cookies too.

I made LauraB's Mom's cookies and thought they were the best I've ever had, and a lot of that opinion was because it was the first CC cookie I've ever made that didn't spread.

I'll get these going this weekend!

Loren

[pilgrim719]

I'm so happy everyone is enjoying the Nielsen-Masssey cookies! :) When I first found the recipe, I wasn't expecting it to be "the" recipe I've been looking for. I just was given some bourbon vanilla and decided to go to the Nielsen-Massey web site to see what to do with it, and that's where I found a chocolate chip cookie recipe that actually called for bourbon vanilla. Lo and behold -- the perfect crispy/chewy CC cookie! I posted on the blog, which of course "forced" Anna to try them, and she confirmed my results, so I knew it wasn't just a baking fluke on my part. I haven't made them yet with regular vanilla, but I'm glad to hear they're just as great, since I don't normally have bourbon vanilla on hand, and I know I will be making more because DH is gobbling these up from our freezer!

Thanks to all of you for helping us add some reviews to our tasting results chart on the blog! If we get any other 5's, we'll be sure to share the recipes here! :)

Kari

p.s. The pudding cookies weren't necessarily "cakey" so much as they were "puffy", which I guess sounds the same but in my head is different. :rolleyes: They had a great flavor, but were the wrong texture to be my perfect cookie. It's not that they're bad cookies, just not the one I was looking for. Sorry Anna! :(

[claire797]

Originally posted by aggie94
Okay, okay - I'm gonna have to make these very soon. One question: the recipe instructions say to "Mix butter, sugars, vanilla and eggs in large bowl." The cc cookie recipes I've used have always said to beat butter and sugar until creamy, then add eggs one at a time, beating well in between. Did you guys just throw everything in the bowl together? And does it make any difference?

I doubt it makes a huge difference, but I always beat my sugar and butter together and then add the eggs one by one.

[Vicanddi]

Thanks for the link! I printed out the recipe and will have to make it. Where on earth do you get this bourbon-vanilla? Do you have to order it on-line?

They sound extremely yummy, btw.

[pilgrim719]

Originally posted by Vicanddi
Thanks for the link! I printed out the recipe and will have to make it. Where on earth do you get this bourbon-vanilla? Do you have to order it on-line?

They sound extremely yummy, btw.

Mine came from Whole Foods. I haven't looked around to see if our regular grocery stores carry it.

Kari

[s'kat]

I had said that I was going to give the Nielssen-Massey cookies a shot this past weekend, but after seeing the fanfare of excited responses that were elicited by the recipe, it was quite clear that we had a winner.

In the interest of science, I tried the last recipe Anna posted, for the Joyous Cookies. Definately not a 5, and it certainly hasn't been my favourite of the batch.

Darn it, now I'm going to have to re-stock my chocolate chips, butter and vanilla supplies.... the last few weeks have cleaned me out, and I simply must try the n-m cookies!!

edited to add that I will be using plain old vanilla with the Nielson-Massey batch, but I get the feeling it won't make a huge difference.

[claire797]

Originally posted by s'kat

In the interest of science, I tried the last recipe Anna posted, for the Joyous Cookies. Definately not a 5, and it certainly hasn't been my favourite of the batch.


Boy, you really didn't like those. The recipe just sounded so intriguing with the corn syrup and all. I thought we might have hit upon a new and wonderful cookie.

Like I said, thanks for saving us the agony of the "Joyous Cookies". If anyone else wants to confirm how awful they are, here's the recipe.

Surely these can't be as bad as the Martha cookies. Man, those were bad.

Joyous Chocolate Chip Cookies

"Another cookies whose crisp, firm outside and soft, chewy inside is attained by the use of corn syrup in place of some of the sugar."


3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup shortening
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1 tablespoon milk
3 tablespoons corn syrup
12 oz semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup pecan.


Prep is the usual way. Cream butter and other soft ingredients. Add dry ingredients. Bake at 350 for 7-10 minutes.

[cinbis]

Thank you, Claire and others for conducting the taste test. I made the Nielssen-Massey cookies over the weekend. I'd have to say they were the best cc cookies I've ever made. I used my small scoop and it made a ton a cookies. It must have been smaller than the #40 they mention. I added chopped walnuts to halve the batch. I don't usually like walnuts in my cookies, but these were awesome. I met a friend today for lunch at Bertuccis. I brought 4 cookies with me and we had them for dessert! She quickly hid the remaining two when the waitress came!

[aggie94]

I really hate to be the dissenting opinion. :( (Seems I'm the dissenting opinion a lot lately :o).

The Nielsen-Massey cookies were good, don't get me wrong. And we will happily eat every last one of them. But I don't think they were the best cc cookie I've ever had. In fact, I prefer Toll House. Something about the texture on the N-M cookies was off to me, but I'm not sure what. And mine were really buttery, like greasy-fingers buttery, which turned me off a little.

I think I might try the pudding cookies next. They might be what I'm looking for. Sorry, guys, but keep up the good work!! :)

[Linda in MO]

Well, I couldn't be left out of the baking loop! ;) I made the Neilsen-Massey cookies yesterday and they are wonderful! Mine don't look quite as puffy/thick as Anna's but the taste is fantastic. Last night my husband said "these cookies are just outstanding!" I cut the recipe in half and got a good 2 1/2 dozen and baked them for about 12 1/2 to 13 minutes or so. And I used unsalted butter and homemade vanilla made with rum. Next time I will add toasted pecans to some of the batter. And mine didn't turn out greasy or too buttery like Eva's. Not nearly as greasy as my other favorite cc cookie (Malted Chocolate Chip Cookies). Eva, I wonder if you let your butter soften too much?

[claire797]

Linda, I still can't figure out why Eva's turned out greasy. Too odd.
Also, the cookie in the picture is actually Kari's (Pilgrim). She's the one who found the Nielsen-Massey recipe thanks to Brad, who gave her some Nielsen-Massey for Mother's Day. We're all gearing up to try the malt powder cookies. I'll probaby make some this afternoon.

[aggie94]

I don't think the butter was too soft - it was still pretty firm in the middle, and took some beating to get it to a creamy consistency with the sugars. Also, I noticed on day two and three, that the cookies are too sugary for my taste. Not necessarily sweet, because I expect my cookies to be sweet, but it's almost like biting into a sugar patty, if that makes any sense.

The greasiness isn't bad anymore, I think it was just right from the oven, they were really greasy.

[Dewey]

I'll be making the Nielsen-Massey cookies today (for my horse vet, who is coming tomorrow morning for more x-rays on my horse and hopefully some good news. I'm hoping that bribing her with cookies will somehow improve the prognosis. :rolleyes: )

Up to now, my favorite CC cookie has always been AB's "The Chewy". So for other fans of The Chewy, I'll let you know how they compare. FYI, I just pulled up the two recipes side by side to compare them. The N-M has proportionately (and approximately) 25% less butter, 50% less brown sugar, 150% more white sugar, no additional egg yolk(s), 50% less chocolate chips (which I will probably increase) and has the addition of both baking powder and cream of tarter. Depending on how fast these cookies go, I may make a batch of the AB CC cookies on Saturday/Sunday (the farrier is coming on Monday, another good one to bribe..) for comparison.

[cinbis]

I made another batch today for my DH and DS to take on their White Water rafting trip. I used white chips. I did sample one...have to do some quality control! They were just as good as the first batch. I did cut the recipe in half this time and it still made a lot of cookies. My DS commented that they were the best CC cookies I've made...I've tried lots of different recipes.
Claire-I'll look forward to your review on the Malt Powder cookies.

[Linda in MO]

Originally posted by claire797
Linda, I still can't figure out why Eva's turned out greasy. Too odd.
Also, the cookie in the picture is actually Kari's (Pilgrim). She's the one who found the Nielsen-Massey recipe thanks to Brad, who gave her some Nielsen-Massey for Mother's Day. We're all gearing up to try the malt powder cookies. I'll probaby make some this afternoon.

Can't wait to see the reviews and pictures (I hope). And let us know what kind of baking sheets you use. Next time I make the Malted ones, I think I'm going to try them with butter. The shortening gives a great texture, but I want to see what kind of difference butter will make. I love the flavor of the malted cookies the best so far, but I need to figure out how to get them less greasy.

[pilgrim719]

Originally posted by claire797
Also, the cookie in the picture is actually Kari's (Pilgrim). She's the one who found the Nielsen-Massey recipe thanks to Brad, who gave her some Nielsen-Massey for Mother's Day. We're all gearing up to try the malt powder cookies. I'll probaby make some this afternoon.

You just want to disassociate yourself with this recipe before the negative reviews start pouring in! ;)

Kari

[AmyJane]

Anna,

I think it's great you three are doing the CC cookie testing! I was so impressed by your chart! I would like to try the Nielsen-Massey recipe but don't know where to find their vanilla. Does it really make a difference and is the N-M vanilla pricey?

Btw, I made the CC pudding cookie recipe last week, and they were very tasty, but on the cakey side -- which I liked. I also cut down the fat by using half the amount of butter and adding a 1/2 cup of strained applesauce. I would make these pudding cookies again, but cut down on the sugar. Thanks for posting the recipe and cutting it in half -- it made plenty!

Amy

[claire797]

Wow, Amy. You invented a new recipe! Half the fat pudding cookies.

I made my Nielsen-Massey cookies with McCormick vanilla and they were fine.

[AmyJane]

Anna, I'm sure the original CC pudding recipe would have turned out better. My cookies were good, but a bit on the dry side -- probably with the replacement of applesauce for half the butter. DH wants me to use dried cranberries instead of CC next time. LOL -- I made these cookies b/c I need a low-fat treat in the house to avoid eating much of a decadent Cheesecake Factory cheesecake someone gave us! Gotta lose those pregnancy pounds! :D

Thanks for letting me know that McCormick vanilla was fine in the Nielsen-Massey cookie recipe!

[Linda in MO]

Hey girls, I found another recipe for you guys to try. Similar to the other Malted cookie but it uses butter instead of shortening, an extra egg, brown and white sugar, etc. Also, it looks as though she uses her butter cold. I like the combo. of the semi-sweet chips and the milk chocolate chunks in the other though, so when I try these I will add some milk chocolate and maybe reduce the white sugar to 1/4 cup. I'll post a review when I try them.

Gale Gand's Malted Chocolate Chip Cookies

Courtesy Gale Gand, “American Brasserie” by Gale Gand, Rick Tramonto, Julia Moskin, MacMillian, Publishers, 1997

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cut into pieces
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/2 cup malt powder
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt and set aside. In the bowl of a mixer, cream the butter until fluffy. Add the sugars and cream with the butter. The mixture will look a bit grainy. Add the vanilla and eggs and beat together until fluffy. Add the malt powder and mix at low speed just until combined. One-third at a time, add the flour mixture, beating after each addition just until combined. Gently mix in the chocolate chips. Drop by tablespoons onto the baking sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, depending on how crispy you like your cookies. The cookies will be flat. Let cool on wire racks and store in an airtight container.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes

[claire797]

Originally posted by Linda in MO
Hey girls, I found another recipe for you guys to try.

Linda, you are a little devil!

Leave it to Gale Gand to take a good recipe and make it better....or is it?

Anyway. Malt cookie pictures are on-line now if anyone's bored and wants to look :). Kari's is the one in the chart. Mine is next to the recipe. For some reason, my cookies are always a little darker.

Thanks again for the recipe, Linda! These are worth buying a jar of malt powder. Besides, you can use the rest of the malt powder to make the CL malt ice cream. It's that time of year.

http://www.ginsberg.com/anna/blogchart.htm

[Dewey]

Hmm, I think I slightly overbaked my N-M CC cookies. (That looks like some sort of secret code.) They weren't even slightly brown at 15 mins, so I gave them an extra 1.5 mins. They were good, but they were crispy, not chewy. I'm debating whether to try them again or whether I should just go back to the AB Chewy recipe. I will say that they had a perfect shape, didn't over-flatten, and look very nice!

[britneyelise]

Dewey-
I had the same thing happen with my first batch, they didn't look done so I let them go longer and found them tasty, but crispy. The next and subsequent batches I took out when they looked almost perfectly done and they firmed up great after I took them out. Chewy with a slight crisp!

Try them again and take them out when it seems a little too early and they will be perfect.

Shannon
(on to try the malt cookies!)

[pilgrim719]

So I have the better part of a jar of malt powder in my pantry now. Perhaps I should make the Gale Gand cookies to see if they can stack up against the yummy malt cookies I made yesterday? Btw, Linda, my malt cookies aren't greasy at all. I would say the Nielsan-Massey cookies were greasier, although still not what I'd call greasy. Thanks for finding the Gale Gand recipe! :)

Kari

[Linda in MO]

Originally posted by pilgrim719
So I have the better part of a jar of malt powder in my pantry now. Perhaps I should make the Gale Gand cookies to see if they can stack up against the yummy malt cookies I made yesterday? Btw, Linda, my malt cookies aren't greasy at all. I would say the Nielsan-Massey cookies were greasier, although still not what I'd call greasy. Thanks for finding the Gale Gand recipe! :)

Kari

Hmmm, I can't figure out why mine have been so greasy the last few times I've made them?? What method do you guys use to measure your flour? The "dip and sweep" or the "lightly spoon it into the measuring cup"? I use the second method, so maybe I'm not using enough flour. Or could it have anything to do with me using less chips than the recipe calls for? They didn't used to be too greasy!! And what kind of baking sheets do you all use?

Oh, and here's another cookie recipe that uses malt powder. I've been dying to try them for ages. Also, like Anna said, the Chocolate Malt Ice Cream from CL is great!

* Exported from MasterCook *

Malted Milk Cookies

Recipe By : posted by Kewpy's Mom at Mimi's
Serving Size : 60 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Cookies

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup butter or margarine -- softened
1/3 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs
4 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup natural-flavor malted milk powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Malted Milk Frosting:
3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup natural-flavor malted milk powder
1/3 cup butter or margarine -- softened
3 tablespoons milk (3 to 4 tablespoons)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Heat oven to 375º. Beat brown sugar, butter, sour cream, vanilla and eggs in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Stir in remaining ingredients except Malted Milk Frosting.

Roll one-third of dough at a time 1/4 inch thick on lightly floured surface. Cut into 2 1/2-inch rounds. Place about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 11 minutes or until almost no indentation remains when touched in center. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.
Frost with Malted Milk Frosting.

Malted Milk Frosting:
Mix all ingredients until smooth and spreadable.

You may notice that the nutritional information calculated by MasterCook is different from the nutritional information listed in the Betty Crocker® cookbooks. Because MasterCook and Betty Crocker® use different nutritional analysis programs and different nutrient databases, variations in results are expected.

Copyright: "© General Mills, Inc. 1998."

Yield: "60 Cookies"

Per serving: 154 Calories (kcal); 5g Total Fat; (29% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 25g Carbohydrate; 8mg Cholesterol; 127mg Sodium

Food Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 1 Fat; 1 Other Carbohydrates

NOTES : Cookie Tips
Malted milk powder isn't something you use daily, so to keep it tasting fresh, store the opened jar in the refrigerator or freezer up to 12 months. You'll find malted milk powder in your supermarkets with other ice-cream toppings.

Make It Your Way:
To make Chocolate Malted Milk Cookies, substitute chocolate-flavored malted milk powder for the natural malted milk powder in both the cookie dough and frosting. To double the malt flavor, sprinkle frosting with coarsely crushed malted milk balls and press them in slightly to help them stick.

[BeachBum]

Well I just had to try the N-M CC cookies. The Urban Ledgend cookies have been my favorites for years and if ya'll liked these better well then they deserve a test run :) But for some reason they taste funny to me. Almost a sour after (but not quite after)taste...Any ideas what I might have done to them? I tasted the sugar egg mixture and so I'm pretty sure my eggs weren't bad. I used Ghirardelli chips (which was a first for me)-do you think that could be it? I agree that the texture of the cookies is great--I'm just stumped on the slightly odd taste. Thoughts?

[Linda in MO]

Just bumping this up...:cool:

[claire797]

Beach Bum,

I have no idea what caused the sour taste. That is quite odd. Maybe you have some sensitivity to cream of tartar? I don't think it was the Ghiradelli chips, because I use them occassionally and have never noted any sourness.

Linda, those malt cookies look good. When I get over this chocolate chip kick, I'll try them. Another malt recipe I have is from Nancy Baggett's All American Cookie Book. She has a recipe for chocolate malt sandwiches. If anyone desperately wants this recipe, I'll type it up and PM it. I'm afraid to post it due to copyright issues....not that that's been a big problem on this board. I guess it's okay as long as we don't post things verbatum.

[Linda in MO]

Originally posted by claire797
I have no idea what caused the sour taste. That is quite odd. Maybe you have some sensitivity to cream of tartar? I don't think it was the Ghiradelli chips, because I use them occassionally and have never noted any sourness.

You know, I have a friend that swears she can taste cream of tartar when it's in meringues, sugar cookies, etc. I don't know though because I've never been able to detect it in baked goods.

Anna, you forgot to mention how you measure your flour. (see my above question)

[pilgrim719]

Linda -- I use the same method as you to measure my flour. The cookie sheets I have are heavy duty aluminum, and I always use parchment paper on them no matter what the recipe says to do to prepare your pans. Also, I only used 1 cup of chips total for the whole recipe. I don't know if any of that helps or not. Have you started doing anything differently with this recipe since you first started making it?

Kari

p.s. Thanks for sharing the cookie recipe, I think I will try it sometime hopefully sooner rather than later! :)

[Linda in MO]

Thanks for the info. Kari! Interesting that you only use a cup of chips. That's the only change I've made recently in these cookies (I think). I wonder if my oven temp. is off? I have an oven thermometer, but I'm not sure I trust it.

[claire797]

Originally posted by Linda in MO

Anna, you forgot to mention how you measure your flour. (see my above question)

Whoops! Sorry. I use the spoon and sweep.

Also, I cook my cookies on a Silpat.

[BeachBum]

Thanks for your thoughts. I think it must be the cream of tartar and my taste buds. DH, my sis, and her BF all ate them and raved. Even when pressed all denied a 'sour' flavor.

[Vicanddi]

I made the Nielsen-Massey cookies tonight. I used my Penzey's double-strength vanilla. They were a little flatter than I like my cookies, also they were crisp on the outside, which is not necessarily a bad thing. My family loved them, DH ate 4! Not sure if these are the best CC cookies I've ever had, but they are pretty darn good. I will be making these again. Think I will have to try the malt cookies next.

[JKS]

Weird!! I wrote down the N-M recipe a while ago and just made it, I haven't read the posts since then and was surprised to find that the N-M cookies had an off taste to me. I hopped on to look and see if anyone else thought so--and you did too! Maybe we have highly sensitive taste buds. I thought it tasted like too much baking soda. My family didn't think so, and I admit, I had a couple dipped in milk, since that seemed to help dampen the flavor. We all agreed, though, that we're still urban legend CCCookie fans.

[Vicanddi]

What is the urban legend cookie? Is it posted somewhere in this thread? I must admit, I'm rather lazy this morning, and did not search through the 4 pages of this thread before asking. :D


I think I am getting pulled into this find the best cc cookie-a-thon. :)

[JKS]

The urban legend one is the Neiman Marcus CCCookie recipe I posted way up in this thread. It's SO yummy! The story goes, some woman had lunch in Neiman Marcus'cafe and asked if she could buy the recipe. She was told it cost "two fifty" and had them charge it, but was surprised to get a charge for $250 on her credit card. She then set out to spread the recipe around the world for revenge. I've heard various reports about the authenticity of the story. Whatever the truth, the cookies are great!

[Vicanddi]

JKS, thanks for the tip. I printed out the recipe and plan on trying it soon. I am enjoying the quest for the best CC Cookies. :)

[Vicanddi]

I think I have a contender for the best chocolate chip cookie. This is my SIL's recipe. These cookies are divine. They are not for the faint of heart though, they have a lot of butter, and even oil! Try these if you dare. :cool:

Molly’s Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 stick butter
1 stick margarine
1/8 c. oil
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 c. peanut butter
2 eggs
2 Tbsp. milk
1 Tbsp. vanilla
2 1/2-3 c. flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
6 oz. chocolate chips and 6 oz. white chocolate chips
White sugar

Cream butter with sugars and oil, add in peanut butter, eggs, milk, and vanilla, in that order. Mix baking soda and salt with flour. Add to wet ingredients. Add enough flour so no dough sticks to side of bowl. Fold in chocolate chips.

Roll dough into 2-inch balls and roll into white sugar, then place on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake in 350-degree oven for 10 minutes. Let cool one minute on cookie sheet, then transfer to wire wrack until completely cooled.

Makes almost 4 dozen cookies

My SIL uses as much flour as needed, which is why the measurement is as is. She adds enough flour until the dough looks right. She thinks it makes 4 dozen cookies, but its hard to tell, as almost half of them are gone before she's done baking!
:D

[valchemist]

dredging up this old thread full of chocolate chip cookie recipes to add this great new one!

I found it in the book called 125 Best Chocolate Chip Recipes by Julie Hasson. (Julie has recently started posting on this BB with the screen name pumkinmuffin. She gave me permission to post her recipe here.)

Anyway, the brown sugar-y taste of this cookie is excellent. And I love the soft chewy texture of these cookies. They don't spread flat, they stay a nice thickness, but they are not at all cake-y. They are nicely dense. My notes are at the bottom.


* Exported from MasterCook *

The Quintessential Chocolate Chip Cookie

Recipe By :Julie Hasson
Serving Size : 29 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Cookies Desserts


Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
3 c flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 c butter -- at room temperature
2 1/3 c packed brown sugar
2 tsps vanilla
2 eggs
2 1/3 c semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 c walnut pieces

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt.

In a large bowl using an electric mixer beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add vanilla, mixing well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture and beat until just combined. Fold in chips and nuts.

Drop by 1/4 cup measure on parchment-lined baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Bake in a preheated 350 oven for 15 to 20 minutes until puffed and pale golden. Cookies will be soft to the touch and look somewhat undercooked. Let cool completely on pans on racks

Source:
"125 Best Chocolate Chip Recipes"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

NOTES : The taste of these is excellent. you can really taste that great brown sugar flavor. the are one of my favorite tasting cookies. they are a bit sweeter and a bit less salty than an average ccc, but really delicious! The cookies stayed nicely thick and they were dense and soft/chewy. The bottoms and edges of the cookies were slightly crisp, but overall, I would categorize this as a soft cookie. Since I am on the hunt for crisp/chewy cookies, I have to give this a 4.5 out of 5 rather than rating it higher. But it is a great cookie, I have to say! A five out of five if you want a soft cookie. generally, I like ccc's with more of a crisp/chewy contrast and your cookie was mainly soft. but I still loved the texture: dense and chewy with a crisp bottom. and the brown sugar tast was fantastic.

[Gracie]

Val, these sound perfect for DH. He loves soft chewy cookies and can't deal with crispy ones. I've been on my own hunt for CCC that he'll like since we've been married. None of the others really came out the way he'd like. I will be trying these soon!

Loren

[valchemist]

well, there is a bit of crispness to them on the bottom and edge, especially right out of the oven. but overall, I would call this a soft cookie.

I have another cookie recipe for your consideration, though, if DH likes Bailey's. These cookies are all soft. no crispness to them. They are puffy and somewhat cake-like. Not airy, but just not really dense and sticky/chewy. Definitely not a traditional CCC, but very good, nonetheless.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Bailey's Irish Cream Chocolate Chip Cookies

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Cookies Desserts


Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. Bailey's Irish Cream
2 1/4 c. cake flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 c. coconut
1/2 c. chopped pecans

Cream butter, sugars and egg until fluffy. Add vanilla and Bailey's Irish cream. Mix dry ingredients and blend into creamed mixture. Add coconut, nuts and chips. Drop onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Cool.

[Gracie]

YUM!!! DH and I both like Bailey's. Now to choose...!

Thanks Val!

Loren