Milk & Cookies Bakery Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies

Milk & Cookies Bakery Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies

I borrowed the eBook of Milk & Cookies Bakery cookbook from the library. So high tech to get an eBook from your library...does your library offer this service? You should check it out if they do. It's convenient and allows you to check out eBooks in your pajamas, and browse a cookbook before purchasing it.

This cookbook has several "base" recipes followed by "add-ins". This chocolate chip recipe starts with the Vanilla Base and has two types of chocolate added. You can also use the Vanilla Base to make Milk Chocolate Orange Cookies, White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies, and Dark Chocolate Toffee Cookies.

The vanilla base has oat flour as well as all-purpose flour. It's old fashioned oatmeal pulsed in a food processor until fine.

The chocolate chip has two types of chocolate: bittersweet shavings or curls, and semi-sweet chunks (I used semi-sweet chips). The directions say to blend it in the KitchenAid until streaky, then scrape the dough onto a floured surface and finish "mixing the dough by using a light kneading motion, working until the dough is just blended." After, you blend in the chocolate with a wooden spoon.

I was unclear if I was supposed to knead the Vanilla Base together, then put it back into the mixer or bowl to mix in the chocolate with a wooden spoon. I ended up blending the whole thing on the counter and made a crazy mess.

My cookies are smaller...the recipe yield is 2 dozen and I got about double that.

For some chocolately good cookies, try these Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies from Milk & Cookies Bakery.

Recipe: Available on Cooking Channel HERE
From the book Milk & Cookies: 89 Heirloom Recipes from New York's Milk & Cookies Bakery

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Brownie Cookies - Everyday Food

Brownie Cookies - Everyday Food

Did you hear the news? Everyday Food, one of my favorite magazines, is on the chopping block! The Kitchn reports that Martha Stewart's company is laying off staff and the magazine "will be cut from 10 issues a year to five, and will now be delivered as a supplement to subscribers of Martha Stewart Living rather than as a stand-alone publication." NOOOOOOoooooo! I love the magazine - it's simply easy recipes. I don't need to know how to make a 100,000 piece tablescape (with glue gun and upholstery nails) nor the best hair conditioners - stuff you find in other magazines. This was just food. And now I'm sad.

So, to honor Everyday Food, I made some Brownie Cookies. You can find the recipe online or in the great compilation book, Everyday Food Light.

These are round, flat brownies. They are very, very chocolaty. I made half the recipe, and the ratio between chocolate and flour shows that the flour just binds the chocolate and sugar together. :)

These are perfect with a glass of milk (or almond milk) in a UCLA glass. Go Bruins!

Recipe:
From Everyday Food, June 2009

12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prep baking sheets with parchment paper.
Place chocolate in a double boiler or pan over simmering water. Stir until melted, then let cool.
In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
In a mixer with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars until lightened in color.
Add eggs and vanilla and beat until combined.
With mixer on low, alternately beat in chocolate and flour mixture; mix just until combined. Do not overmix.
Dish dough onto baking sheets. Bake 14-16 minute, rotating trays half-way though. Cool cookies on wire racks.

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Maple Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Maple Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Did I tell you about my friend Helen and her three awesome daughters Alison, Emily and Rosie? They are, without exaggeration, totally cool and rad. I've known them since the Northridge earthquake when Helen and I started working together. Yes, I date things by natural disasters. Rosie and I are in a cake decorating class right now. I've been posting photos to my instagram account (@foodlibrarian) and will post about it after the class ends.

Alison's friend Erika gave the family this recipe for Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies...with the secret ingredient of maple syrup!

Although maple syrup is an all-year yummy ingredient, I think of it as a "fall" food. Thus, welcome fall.

The recipe is delicious, but if you want to cut the brown sugar a bit, go for it. They are plenty sweet.

Recipe:

Maple Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Erika says she adapted it from a Martha Stewart recipe
1 1/2 cups (210 g) flour
1 t cinnamon
1 t baking soda
1 t salt
2 sticks butter, softened
1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup pure maple syrup, grade A
1 egg, room temp
2 t vanilla
3 cups old fashioned oatmeal (not instant)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven in 325 degrees.

1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
2. Cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy with a paddle attachment in a stand mixer. Scrap down side of bowl.
3. Add the maple sugar and mix until blended.
4. Add egg and vanilla until blended.
5. On slow speed, add flour mixture. Mix until just blended.
6. Add the oatmeal and chocolate chips. Mix until just blended. Finish with a spatula, but don't overmix.
7. Scoop onto parchment paper covered baking tray. I used a smallish cookie scoop and got 57 cookies.
8. Bake for about 15 minutes (depends on your oven), turning halfway through until edges are golden brown.

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Strawberry Shortcake Cookies - Martha Stewart

Strawberry Shortcake Cookies

It's now the season where you can get a flat of strawberries at the farmer's market for $8-10. Awesome. I usually pick up a three pack every week. Love strawberries in yogurt, just plain and in dessert. These are Strawberry Shortcake Cookies from Martha Stewart.

These cookies are supposed to be like a traveling strawberry shortcake. Um, I'd rather have a real strawberry shortcake. They were okay, but they didn't rock my world.

If you want to bake with strawberries, I would go for Joy the Baker's Strawberry Upside Down cake or Martha Stewart's Strawberry Cake in a pie pan.

Recipe:
From Martha Stewart
Martha Stewart Living, June 2009

12 ounces strawberries, hulled and cut into 1/4-inch dice (2 cups)
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, divided
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 ounces (6 tablespoons, 3/4 of a stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2/3 cup heavy cream
Sanding sugar, for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 
Combine the cut strawberries, lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. 
Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and remaining 7 tablespoons granulated sugar in a large bowl. 
Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter, or rub in with your fingers, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. 
Stir in cream until dough starts to come together, then stir in strawberry mixture.
Drop dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment (I used a small cookie scoop).
Sprinkle with sanding sugar, and bake until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes.
Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool.
These cookies don't keep. Cookies are best served immediately, but can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day.

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New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies

New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies

Sometimes, I'm a little slow to jump on bandwagon. I was hesitant to get a digital camera (what was I thinking on that one?) and haven't gotten an iPad yet. I remember reading about these cookies in the New York Times back in 2008 but can't believe it has taken me so long to make them!

This cookie recipe uses cake and bread flour, as well as a 24-36 hour waiting period before baking. The waiting period allows the liquid to dry out and makes a happier dough. Toll House's original recipe says to refrigerate overnight. Flour Bakery's cookies rest overnight and I've been trying to do that with all my cookie doughs.

Thank you Lori, Recipe Girl for this hint! After you roll out your ball of cookie dough, put 4-5 chips on top of the ball! Then, when it bakes, a few perfectly placed chips bake on top of the cookie! I can't tell you how many people said, "These cookies look perfect." I told them Lori's trick and now we'll have a bunch of perfect looking chocolate chip cookies in Southern California.

Recipe:
New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies
Adapted from the New York Times (from Jacque Torres), July 9, 2008


2 cups minus 2 tablespoons (8 1/2 ounces) cake flour
1 2/3 cups (8 1/2 ounces) bread flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) light brown sugar
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (8 ounces) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract
1 1/4 pounds bittersweet chocolate, at least 60 percent cacao (I used 16 ounces (1 pound) of chips in the batter: 1/2 bittersweet Ghirardelli chips and 1/2 Nestle Semi-Sweet chips)
Sea salt

1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.
2. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Mix in chocolate chips.
3. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.
4. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
5. Scoop balls of dough onto baking sheet. The recipe suggests 3 1/2-ounce mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls). I made smaller cookies of 1 1/2 ounce (yes, I used the scale). I only put 6 cookies on a half-sheet pan as they spread. 3 1/2 ounce cookies will be large!
6. Place a few chocolate chips on top of the cookie (thanks Recipe Girl for this tip!) Bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes. Cool on wire rack
7. The recipe states to sprinkle sea salt on the cookie before baking...but I totally forgot that step! Next time!
Full instructions from the NY Times here.

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Tyler Florence "My Big, Fat Chocolate Chip Cookies"

Tyler Florence's

My Big, Fat Chocolate Chip Cookies

I'm typing this up on Sunday night. It was a really beautiful day in Los Angeles. I hope you had really nice weather too!

Um, I have about 2 minutes to get this done...because it's a crazy good TV night! So, what's on your DVR? I'm watching:
The Killing on AMC  - So good. They better tell me who killed Rosie Larsen this season.
Mad Men - Don. Draper. Joan. Peggy. Awesome.
Good Wife - Still love Julianna from ER days. And Chris Noth...sweet.
The Closer - The last season of this show. I've seen every. single. episode. It's light and easy to watch re-runs. I've written lots of blog posts while watching! :)
White Collar - On hiatus now, but it's a great show. Matt Bomer? Oh my goodness, I can watch the show on mute.
Modern Family - I think this is on everyone's DVR.
60 Minutes, CBS Sunday Morning, and Frontline - Getting my news fill.


Back to the cookies... I chopped a block of dark chocolate for these cookies. They were a soft chocolate chip cookies - I prefer that to a crunchy cookie.


Yummy!

Tyler Florence
My Big, Fat Chocolate Chip Cookies
Recipe on the Food Network

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"My Chocolate Chip Cookies" - Alice Medrich

"My Chocolate Chip Cookies" from Alice Medrich's cookbook 

I recently purchased Alice Medrich's cookbook: Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunchy Melt-in-your-mouth cookies. I started with a classic...the chocolate chip cookie.

This recipe calls for melted butter and a rest period...be sure to plan ahead so your dough has time to chill out and relax in your fridge. The dough, because it uses melted butter, comes together in a snap. I mixed mine with a wooden spoon...easy peasy. I used a mix of chopped bittersweet and milk chocolate chunks.


I like to roll out all the balls of dough and keep them in the refrigerator until they are ready for their time in the oven. Or, if I'm actually thinking ahead, I'll pop some of the dough balls into the freezer (uncovered) to harden, then place in a freezer bag for another day. I always keeps plenty of Sharpie pens in the kitchen to write the name and baking temperature/time on the bag...just add a few minutes if you bake from frozen balls.

Recipe: Chewy by Alice Medrich, page 132-133 "My Chocolate Chip Cookies". Find it on Amazon or your library
This blog, Dallas Duo Bakes, posted the recipe online

 

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Peanut Butter Cookies - Miette Cookbook

Miette Peanut Butter Cookies

Have you been to Miette in San Francisco? You have to go! I usually visit their Ferry Building location on every trip to the Bay Area! The store is so cute and all the treats are yummy. I was excited when they published a cookbook so I could try their treats at home.

I was so thrilled when this book came in the mail. Look at those die-cut pages! So cute. However, when I started baking these cookies, I read that it made 24 (2 1/2 inch) cookies or 120 (1 1/2 inch) cookies. I'm no engineer, but I made it to calculus and could not figure out how they got 120 cookies out of a dough with 1 1/2 cups of flour!

Then, the very next week, I received an email from Amazon that they are going to send me a whole new book because there were so many errors. Look how many calculation errors were made! Whew, I wasn't crazy. This recipe makes 16 three-inch cookies or 48 two-inch cookies. I got 52 cookies.

Miette uses a meat mallet to make their indentions. I couldn't find mine... really, where could that big old mallet have gone? That is a great idea and I'll try it again once I hunt down that mallet. Anyway, I just did the traditional cross-hatch with a fork.

Pour yourself a big cup of milk and have some cookies. These would be great for your back-to-school soon kids!

I can't wait to make their cakes and cupcakes. This book is really charming. See if your library has it here on WorldCat!

Recipe:
Miette cookbook, page 133

Peanut Butter Cookies, adapted from the Miette Cookbook

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

½ cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened

½ cup granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large eggs

½ cups plus 2 Tablespoons creamy or chunky peanut butter (I used creamy)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Sift together dry ingredients (flour, soda, salt)

3. Cream together butter and sugars and vanilla until light and fluffy (4-5 minutes)

4. Add egg and beat until incorporated. Scrape down sides of bowl.

5. Add peanut butter and mix.

6. Add dry ingredients until just combined. Finish off by hand.

7. Form into balls. Flatten with meat mallet or cross-hatch with a fork. Sprinkle with sugar.
8. Bake 10 minute. Cool and enjoy!

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Chocolate Biscotti - Tuesdays with Dorie

Chocolate Biscotti

For this week's Tuesdays with Dorie selection, Jacque of Daisy Lane Cakes picked Chocolate Biscotti from Dorie's book, Baking: From My Home to Yours.

I used raw almonds (chopped a bit) and mini chocolate chips. Next time, I'm going to add dried cherries...that would be awesomeness.

Biscotti are twice baked cookies. Bake off a log, let cool for a bit and then cut and bake on its side. This finishes the baking and dries them out...making them crunchy. I like to leave a bit of "soft" in the center.

Grab a couple biscotti and a cup of coffee or tea. Nothing better.

Check out the other Tuesdays with Dorie bakers and see their creations!

Recipe:
Jacque of Daisy Lane Cakes blog,
or, Dorie's book, Baking: From My Home to Yours (page 144)

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Cornmeal Shortbread Cookies - Tuesdays with Dorie

Cornmeal Shortbread Cookies

For this week's Tuesdays with Dorie selection, Valerie of Une Gamine dans la Cuisine chose Cornmeal Shortbread Cookies on page 130 of Dorie's book, Baking: From My Home to Yours.

This is an egg-less shortbread cookie with a bit of cornmeal. Super easy to throw together, roll out and let chill overnight. Cut into squares, prick twice with a fork and 25 minutes later...cookies!

Check out the other Tuesdays with Dorie bakers and see their creations!

Recipe:
Valerie of Une Gamine dans la Cuisine blog,
or, Dorie's book, Baking: From My Home to Yours (page 130)

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Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwiches - Tuesdays with Dorie

For this week's Tuesdays with Dorie selection, Jessica of Domestic Deep Thought of the Day chose Coffee Ice Cream Tart on pages 358 and 359 of Dorie's book, Baking: From My Home to Yours.
Um, I did an interpretation and came up with Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwiches!

I made 1/4 of the tart shell recipe and baked them up as cut-out cookies. I skipped the coating of chocolate that goes at the base of the tart shell. I really wanted coffee ice cream, but my store was all out. I was getting those $1.50 Haagen Daz cups of ice cream...just enough to be dangerous and fill these sandwiches. Dorie's recipe blends the ice cream with liquor or extract and nuts...I went with straight ice cream for my little guys.

 

My friend Jun purchased these beautiful dishes during her honeymoon in Japan. Your friends know you well when they say, "I thought you could put a cookie on them on the blog!" My international collection of ceramic props begins. Thanks Jun!!!

Check out the other Tuesdays with Dorie bakers and see their creations!

Recipe:
Jessica of Domestic Deep Thought blog,
or, Dorie's book, Baking: From My Home to Yours (page 358)

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Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies - Tuesdays with Dorie

Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

For this week's Tuesdays with Dorie selection, Caroline and Claire of Bake With Us chose Chocolate Oatmeal Drops of Dorie's book, Baking: From My Home to Yours. I made these Tuesdays morning but have been super busy and tired so I'm posting a day late.

These cookies are easy to make...melt some butter, chocolate, and brown sugar. Throw in some flour and oatmeal (yeah, it's healthy! hee hee) and you have a cookie.


Mine turned out flatter than others, but they were like little brownies. Very chocolatey.

Check out the other Tuesdays with Dorie bakers and see their creations!

Recipe:
Caroline and Claire of Bake with Us blog,
or, Dorie's book, Baking: From My Home to Yours (page 75)

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Flour Bakery's Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Flour Bakery's Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Continuing my quest to go through Joanne Chang's Flour Bakery cookbook, here are the Chocolate Chunk Cookies.


This cookie has all-purpose and bread flour, 2 sticks of butter and semi-sweet and milk chocolate. Although Joanne Chang baked up lots of Toll House cookies in her youth and through college at Harvard, she suggests getting the best chocolate possible. I used dark chocolate and milk chocolate (from the pound plus bars at Trader Joe's...which is repackaged really good chocolate).

The cookies are soooo big! I used this 6 ounce (the larger box) of Jello for scale so you can see how big they were! The dough is 1/4 cup and only 4 cookies fit on my half-sheet pan. I also made smaller ones (fitting 8 cookies on the half-sheet pan).

I wish they were less flat, but they were really really good. I baked one batch for my friends after a 12 hour rest and the remainder after a 24 hour rest. Resting is a really important part of the process.

On a side note, I picked up these cute bowls at the Sur la Table once-a-year sale. Only $2.99 each! Whoo hoo. And, I bought them while I was on vacation in San Francisco, so it didn't really count...you know, vacation spending is different than regular spending! :) At least, that's how I rationalize more bowls in the house.

I got 8 huge cookies (1/4 cup size) and 16 smaller (but still big) cookies from one batch. 

Recipe:
Available here on the Atlantic 
Flour: spectacular recipes from Boston's Flour Bakery + Cafe by Joanne Chang (page 108): Available on Amazon, your local bookstore, or in your library

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Midnight Crackle Cookies - Tuesdays with Dorie 3rd Anniversary

Midnight Crackle Cookies

It's Tuesdays with Dorie's 3rd Anniversary! Whoo hoo. Big, huge shout out to Laurie, founder of Tuesdays with Dorie. She wanted to go through the book, and more and more people joined her! Thank you Laurie and Julie for all you do in organizing this group.

For this week's Tuesdays with Dorie selection, Laurie of Slush and Jules of Someone’s In the Kitchen chose Midnight Crackles on page 74 of Dorie's book, Baking: From My Home to Yours.

I made a half-batch of these Midnight Crackle Cookies. It's an easy dough to make...however, be sure to allow for a one-hour chilling time. They really need a glass of milk...they are really chocolaty and are perfect for dipping. Or, if you want to go all out, they would be great in an ice cream sandwich! ;)

 

Check out the other Tuesdays with Dorie bakers and see their creations!

Recipe:
This week's recipe is on the Tuesdays with Dorie blog! Be sure to read the notes from Laurie, founder of Tuesdays with Dorie, or on page 74 of Dorie's book, Baking: From My Home to Yours. I made half the batch and got 30 small cookies.

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