Chocolate Chip Toffee Cookies (Chewy)

Rich, flavorful, chewy with crispy edges. I love chocolate chip cookies and this recipe has all the elements I just mentioned. The browned butter and dark brown sugar give these cookies a butterscotch toffee flavor and the dark brown sugar makes them chewy. I do have quite a few other recipes on this blog.  I can't help it. This one, the Gideon cookies, the Kiss Me  Chocolate Chip Cookies, so many yummy ones. Just pick one, the Skillet Chocolate Chip cookie is the easiest.

As far as this recipe I will definitely make them again. With or without the Toffee chips. I would love to put nuts in them, but my child can't eat nuts. I use less chocolate and toffee in these than most people would but we love the cookie like this.

This is a great batter to customize.

Kate's WBL Chocolate Chip Cookies

*PS if you bake these up let me know how they taste for you*

-->I am always on the look out for the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe. What’s my definition of the perfect chocolate chip cookie? It has to be soft and chewy on the inside with a tender bite on the outside. Not too sweet. Not puffy and cake like. Not crisp and thin. Moist but cooked through. No shortening, all butter. The true test is how they taste a day later, because they all taste pretty darn good out of the oven. I have tried a lot of recipes. Jacque Torres? Great cookie, a little sweet for me, but still an awesome cookie. Alton Brown’s “chewy”, pretty good- still a little puffy. Nestle toll house- has shortening, at least the last time I checked. Neiman Marcus? Tasty- but sometimes I am not in the mood for oats and if I remember correctly those have oats in them. I’ve also adapted a lot of recipes. I guess I’ve never been completely satiated for more than a batch or two of the same recipe, then I am on the lookout again. Tonight’s recipe is born of my procrastination. I am surrounded by moving boxes and quite frankly, overwhelmed. There is so much to do, people/children to take care of, laundry to fold, school to keep up with. And STUFF. Too much STUFF and not enough room, that’s what happens when you move into a house that is ½ the size of the one you just left. While it’s been nice to just toss things into the “garage sale/get rid of me” boxes, it seems like there is still so much to be put away and organized. So what do I do when I am overwhelmed? Stressed? Moody? Frustrated? Happy? I bake or cook. There’s just something about being in the kitchen that calms me down- brings me to a certain comfort zone, I love it, it’s my element. Perhaps I am even passionate about it. It doesn’t matter if I am good at it, the best or what. Whatever it is, it’s comforting, relaxing, and it’s my way of taking care of my loved ones.

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Another chocolate chip cookie?? Yes. I had to try it. I saw the recipe on Pinterest, so I decided to make them. I should have used less sugar. It was too sweet for me, which means great for everyone else. I also used less chocolate chips, 2 ounces less. I used bread flour instead of all purpose flour. The higher protein in bread flour makes cookies more chewy, which I love. I also adjusted the baking powder and added soda to give me a little more crisp on my edges. This was an easy cookie to make, it was chewy, a little crisp on the sides. Beautiful texture. I'd make these again. Even the next day these were still chewy with a nice bite.

Chewy Chocolate Chip cookies (Original recipe link posted below.)
3 sticks unsalted butter/ softened
14 ounces brown sugar (2 cups- packed)- next time I'm going to use 10 ounces
4 ounces granulated sugar, 1/2 cup
2 eggs
5 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 pound 4 ounces bread flour, 4 cups- you can use all purpose
4 teaspoons corn starch
3/4 teaspoon salt- kosher
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
14 ounces chocolate chips- Add more if you'd like, I used to add 50% more chocolate chips to every recipe out there.

Beat the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla, beat well. Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl. Combine the dry and wet ingredients. Stir in the chocolate chips. Let the dough sit for 15 minutes or so, while oven pre heats to 350 degrees. In the refrigerator is fine. This will help that gluten in the bread flour develop also.

Bake tablespoon sized mounds of dough for 8-12 minutes. I gently pushed my cookie dough down so the tops were flat you don't have to do that. I set my timer for 10 minutes and 30 seconds each time. Don't over bake these. They will be light brown almost pale on top. But the bottoms should be lightly browned evenly.

Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 3-5 minutes before transferring them to a rack to finish cooling.

Makes 60+ cookies.

I guess after all my changes, this really isn't the same recipe as posted HERE.

Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie

Can I just say how much I love Pinterest? I found this recipe on there. It's so easy, and it's very much like the One Pan Chocolate Cake. Easy peasy and no dishes.The original recipe as far as  I can tell is from Sophistimom, who referenced other places she adapted from. I love making Chocolate Chip cookies with melted butter, like these Kiss Me Chocolate Chip Cookies it's easy and there's no thinking ahead and taking the butter out of the refrigerator.

I made some changes to this recipe but really not anything significant. I did however get you weights, thank you very much. So now you don't have to wash measuring cups. I made this in a 11 inch skillet? I think it's a 11 inch.

Copycat Gideon's Bakehouse Cookies

I have so many Chocolate Chip Cookie recipes on this blog, but let's face it, sometimes you want them chewy, cakey, extra chocolatey. Mood. Right? For extra chocolate richness, this is the recipe you want. If you've ever been to Gideon's Bakehouse or the Polite Pig at Disney Springs you may know about these cookies. Voted the best cookie in Florida they are really yummy. There's rich chocolate, vanilla, and a tender cookie that's a little underbaked but not raw. They are in my top two favorite cookies at Disney Springs, the other being the Jammy Dodgers at Cookes.

Kiss Me Chocolate Chip Cookies... and freezing dough.

I am always making CCC a million different ways, just search Chocolate Chip Cookie/s on here and you'll get a few hits. Can't help it. These are chewy soft yummies. And I had a ton of chips I needed to use up. When a few cooled I took them on a plate to Pixie girl- she took one, walked away took a bite and came back towards me, I told DH, "yup she wants one in each hand..." NOPE. She came over, put her arms around me and kissed me... then took the other cookie. I love that little baby.

UCCC Cookies

These are my Ultimate Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies... I keep tweaking this recipe but, I am unsure I can tweak it anymore.
The girls and I made these and took some to the neighbors as a thank you for bringing us some wonderful bible story books.
I love the semi-sweet and the milk chocolate in these, I also love walnuts in them. I baked half a batch without nuts for Diva and the other half with walnuts, these freeze well.
You'll need extra chocolate chips if little ones are helping you they tend to somehow get eaten, OK well by me too but still.

Dry ingredients-
4 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 tablespoon of espresso crystals

Wet ingredients-
1 cup softened butter flavored shortening (you can use all butter but I find the cookies are more tender with the shortening)
1 cup unsalted butter softened
1 1/2 cups sugar (I use a little less than 1 1/2 cup)
1 1/2 cup packed brown sugar (light or dark use what you have)
1 tablespoon (yes, that's right) good vanilla extract
3 tablespoons milk

4 eggs

8 oz semi sweet chocolate chips (Ghiradeli is what we love)
8 oz Milk chocolate chips (Nestle is what we like for these)
1 1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Let the kids help you count the cups of flour and dry ingredients. Put them in a bowl and let your kids GENTLY stir it. Or it will go all over. Not that I would know.







In your mixer beat your wet ingredients until creamy.









Yummy, click on that picture to see the gorgeous specks of vanilla, YUM.







Add your eggs, beat them in.








At this point there is no flour so you can't over mix so beat away if you'd like.








Now add your flour, stir it to combine. Don't over stir/mix your flour it makes the cookies tough. *note that somehow some chocolate chips got dropped in there, Diva confessed to that.






Stir in your chocolate chips...








did I say 8 oz of each? It's OK to be a little heavy handed with them, we always are.







Now at this point I separated half the batter before adding the nuts. Add your nuts and combine.
I chill my dough for about an hour, but you don't have to.





I use a small cookie scoop and bake these at 375 degrees on parchment paper for 9 minutes. I don't bake them for more I don't like over done cookies.

Kitchen Sink Chunk Cookies

The weather is getting cooler around here, it's a rainy morning so I'm sitting down to update. With a cup of tea at my side and cookies... you know, so I can taste the to make sure they are still yummy. To post, because I don't want to post cookies that aren't still yummy. I better have two just to make sure :). I let my kids have one after breakfast, two days in a row now. I'm cool like that.
How is the weather where you are? I'm so ready for fall. My parents are planning a visit. I can't wait. They will get to see the leaves change color, come to a couple soccer games. It'll just be nice having them here. Maybe I should makes some of this cookie dough to keep in the freezer. Because cookies.
I like this Kitchen Sink Chunk Cookie recipe because it doesn't require me to think ahead and soften butter. I think most of the Chocolate Chip Cookie recipes and cookie recipes that I like use melted butter. I will say I like cookies that are chewy, so I prefer using bread flour. You can swap out AP flour in equal amounts if you prefer, or if that's what you happen to have on hand. Adding oats would also be easy to do, swap out some of the flour for rolled oats, or use some as your mix-ins. This recipe is easily tweaked. See the notes below for variations.

I used dried tart cherries and chocolate bars for this batch, because I didn't have any chocolate chips in the house! Yikes.

Newman's Own Organics - GIVEAWAY

Newman's Own Organics. Have you heard of this company? Not to be confused with Newman's Own. Newman's Own Organics is a separate company. Here is a little bit about the company

Newman’s Own Organics was established as a division of Newman’s Own in 1993, and became a separate company in late 2001. Paul Newman has given over $200 million to thousands of charities worldwide since 1982.

PRODUCT CERTIFICATION

Certified organic by Oregon Tilth. Ingredients have been grown on farms that have not used artificial fertilizers or pesticides for three years or more. The farms and processors have been certified by an independent third party. Kosher certification by Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, 333 Seventh Avenue, New York. 

The sale of NOO products generates money for the Newman’s Own Foundation to give away. That since 1982 Paul Newman and the Foundation have donated more than $300 million to a wide number of educational and charitable organizations worldwide. One of the company’s main goals is to support sustainable agriculture through the development of good tasting products. Many of them, as you will see, are essentially snack food which can’t be deemed something to eat all the time, but when you do have them those with organic and pronounceable ingredients are definitely better for you. The company’s slogan is “Great Tasting Products that Just Happen to Be Organic.” 

 The folks at Newman's Own Organics sent us amazing box of products to try out. I know, it's a hard knock life here at Give Peas A Chance. But, you can get in on this deliciousness by entering to win a product assortment worth $25-$30 below. We were sent

Free Friday

No recipe for this. This a cookie from the America's Test Kitchen cookbook. It's their Thick and Chewy chocolate chip cookie. Very good, a little on the sweet side for me. But, DH always points out that I don't make my sweets as sweet as most people do. I always use less sugar. 

The cookies were nice and chewy. I liked them.

Do you have this America's Test Kitchen cookbook? What have you made out of it?

If you like chocolate chip cookies, how do you like them?

Extra chocolate? Less chocolate? Nuts? No nuts? Crisp? Chewy?
*Don't forget to check the left side of my blog for giveaway links!

Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is a Martha Stewart recipe. The sour cream in the dough gives it such a great flavor and the cookie is tender and soft, by far one of my favorite cookie doughs. Don't over bake these! The cookies are naturally light from the sour cream.

Makes about 2 dozen.

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract- I always add more...
  
• 3 tablespoons sour cream- I used about 4 tablespoons, I didn't really measure
  
• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup milk-chocolate chips- I used chocolate chips with caramel centers instead
  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream butter and sugars...





Yup... like that...
until it's nice and fluffy...







Add the egg and vanilla...







Blend it well... now...REDUCE THE SPEED ON THE MIXER... trust me on this one.






Add the flour in two batches alternating with sour cream.







Mix it well, but don't over mix who wants tough cookies??
Add the sour cream...





Now the rest of the flour...







Stir in the chocolate chips by hand. Cover and freeze for 10 minutes. I just made the dough earlier in the day and placed it in the fridge until after dinner when I baked them. Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon drop these on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Flatten slightly with your hand. Bake these 2 inches apart for 12-14 minutes.

Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie

This is the EASIEST QUICKEST cookie ever. It's so very easy. It's a little crisp on the edges but chewy on the inside. I love that it makes one skillet, that's it. Not dozens and dozens. I don't mind freezing dough for later, but then the temptation is there to bake them up in my little toaster oven. Too much, too tempting. Sure the skillet is one big ol' cookie but it's gone faster than say 5 dozen cookies. Another thing about this is all I have to wash is a spatula and the skillet. I admit that fact alone pretty much promoted it to best cookie ever status like real quick.

Since this is a MAniC MoNdAy post, you can find the original post HERE on Give Peas A Chance. I also cut and pasted the recipe below.
You do need to use a scale, but this is perfect for children learning weights :)

Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie

350 degrees 13-18 minutes

1 stick/8 tablespoons unsalted butter

3-3/4 ounces (108 grams) granulated sugar

3-3/4 ounces (108 grams) brown sugar

6-1/2 ounces (184 grams) All purpose flour

1 egg

1 tablespoon vanilla, I didn't weigh this. Just pour it in.

pinch kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

6 ounces (170 grams) chocolate, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place a well seasoned 11 inch cast iron skillet on the stove over medium high heat, add cold butter. Let the butter melt, moving it around to coat the entire skillet and sides. Turn the heat off. Let the butter cool for a bit, so the egg doesn't scramble when you add it.
Add the sugars and vanilla to the butter. Mix well until butter is incorporated. Mix in the egg.
Stir in the flour, soda and salt. Make sure you scrape the sides and bottom of the skillet so there is not dry flour there. Stir in chocolate.
Place in the oven for 15-20 minutes until the edge are golden brown.

Variations

Almond extract, dried cherries, pistachios, white chocolate chips.

Orange zest, dark chocolate pieces.

Macadamia nuts, white chocolate chips.

Add chopped pecans, walnuts, or other nuts to the original.
Add 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder for a puffier/cake like cookie

I finally took some measurements of this- rough measurements, not exact
it's about
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/4 cup of flour

GPAC Birthday Scones

I made these scones for MIL's (I call her mom, but anyway) birthday tea. It was so fun! (Scroll down for more pictures.) Sister in law and I made/set out

Chicken salad sandwiches

Cucumber Ranch sandwiches with sprouts- also posted here, from DD's birthday tea

Deviled Eggs- I just made them with mayonnaise, salt, pepper, mustard powder and paprika

Kale Chips

Cherry Orange Scones- recipe follow, with Lemon curd

Easy Peasy Stuffed Peppers

Kiwi and tangerines

Bleu cheese, prosciutto slices, Everything crackers

Olives and pickles

We bought some Palimers, cheese cake with blueberry crumble topping, German chocolate cake, rum balls, chocolate chip cookies, eclairs and these amazing buttery shortbread with raspberry preserves.

We sipped an amazing Chocolate Mint tea- YUM.

More scone recipes
Vanilla bean Scones

Birthday Scones

Simple Scones

Scheduled to be blogged-
Orange Caramel Scones
Cinnamon Chip Scones

2013 Bento 258-292 Take It Tuesday

 I will be trying to consolidate pictures into collages so that these posts won't be so crazy long with tons and tons of pictures. With three kids in school now that's 15 lunches a week. Fifteen pictures, the thing is it's not like I make Chraraben bento or pretty bentos, I just pack lunches, so the need for fifty million pictures is silly. But it's fun for me, so I think the way I can streamline things a bit is put each day's pictures in a mini collage. I can't promise it will get done, but the other alternative is don't come on the blog on Tuesday's because that's when I post lunches :) 

Lunches #258-260

Harry Potter

I usually do not make menus, include notes in lunches. But this was a fun lunch to pack. I did forget to pack the Gillyweed (Green veggies). The menu is below.
Harry Potter Sunbutter Sandwich
Gringotts Gold
Scabber's Snack
Un-juiced Pumpkin Pieces
Sorting Hats
Chocolate Frog
Acid pops
Eye of Rabbit

Lunches 270-271 (I only packed two lunches this day because Pixie was home sick with me)
Dragon Fruit
Longan
Rambutan
Cucumber
Laughing Cow cheese
Crackers
Sunflower seeds
Chocolate Chip Cookies

 Lunches #272-274
Quinoa and Spiced Beef
Cucumber
Roasted Acorn Squash
Mushroom (Pixie)
Jello

Lunches #275-277
I only have two pictures of these but they were all the same.

Crackers
Laughing Cow Cheese
Mango
Cucumber
Pudding
Two mini cookies

Lunches #278-280
Mini Corndogs
Broccoli
Mandarin Oranges
Ketchup
Yogurt Stars

Lunches #290-292

Cucumber, Avocado, Tomato salad
Grilled chicken
Grapes
Jello

 *Lunches are packed in Planetboxes

*More Sunbutter recipes and posts HERE.

I wanted to invite you all to share your lunches on my Facebook wall, Instagram (see hashtags below), Twitter, and in comments below.
Share your latest lunches- if you have a photo to upload, an Instagram post, a blog post. 

HASHTAGS- for Twitter/Facebook/Instagram/Pinterest  #peasblog #TakeitTuesday
Or come and share you favorite lunch box recipe.
Please make sure you link to all recipes and credit sources. I will delete any recipes that have been cut and pasted. Please leave links only.