Black and white cookies are all over NYC.

I didn't even know they were a thing until I went to NYC and people told me I had to try one.  You can find them in lots of NY delis and bakeries.

My Aunt Annette found this recipe in People magazine and made these for us when she visited from Utah.  They were so good!

Just as good as any cookie you could get in NYC.

She's a pretty amazing baker/cook.

Thanks Aunt Annette!

2 1/2 cups flour

2 1/2 cups bleached cake flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup butter, softened

4 eggs

1 cup whole milk, divided

1 Tbs. vanilla, divided

4 cups powdered sugar

2 Tbs. light corn syrup

1/2 cup cocoa

Which together the flours, baking powder and salt in a bowl.  In an electric mixer, beat sugar and butter until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes).  Add eggs, one at a time, beating until blended after each one.  With mixer on low, add half the flour mixture and mix until blended.  Add 1/2 cup milk and 2 tsp. vanilla.  Mix well.  Add the rest of the flour mixture and beat until blended.  Add the rest of the milk.  Mix well.  Using a 1 1/2 inch ice cream scoop, spoon mounds of batter onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving 2 inches between mounds.  Flatten with wet fingers until mounds are 2 1/2 inches wide.  Bake for 20 minutes at 350.  Transfer to a cooling rack to cool.  

Icing:

Stir together powdered sugar and 1/4 cup warm water in a large bowl.  Add corn syrup and remaining vanilla.  Stir vigorously until smooth.  Pour half of the icing into a separate bowl.  Add cocoa and 2 Tbs. warm water.  Stir until smooth.

Frost the flat sides of the cookies.  Frost half the cookie with white icing.  Let set for 15 minutes.  Frost the other half with chocolate.  Let set for 15 minutes before serving.

Susan's Sugar Cookie Bars

I love sugar cookies!

I don't love making sugar cookies.

It just takes so long to roll out the dough and cut out all the cookies.

That's why I LOVE these sugar cookie bars!  So much easier and just as delicious.  This recipe is my favorite.  I think it's the almond extract and cream cheese.  I got the recipe from my mother-in-law, who is a fabulous baker.  You will love these!!

Cookies:

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup butter, softened

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 egg

1/2 tsp. almond extract

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

2 1/2 cups flour

Frosting:

1/2 cup butter, softened

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

3 1/2 cups powdered sugar (I just use a 16 oz. box)

little bit of milk

1 tsp. vanilla

food coloring (optional)

*Mix butter, cream cheese, sugar, and egg until light and fluffy.  Add extracts and mix for one minute.  Add dry ingredients and mix for a couple minutes.  Press dough into a jelly roll (cookie sheet) pan.  Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.  Cool completely before frosting. For frosting, mix butter and cream cheese until smooth.  Add the rest of ingredients and mix until smooth.  Frost bars and cut to serve!

ORANGE RICOTTA COOKIES

I saw "this" recipe on Pinterest, but there were several of them, and they all were a little different. So - I experimented and combined and changed several of them and I think I came up with a keeper.  They have a light orange glaze and taste so light. These are soft (my favorite kind of cookie) and citrusy. I love ANYTHING orange. I'm sure you could do lemon as well - but orange is my favorite.  You could probably substitute sour cream for the ricotta too. I made them for a welcome home luncheon for a friend and they were a great "luncheon" cookie.  Not too big and not too small.

2 1/4 c. flour
1 t. baking powder
pinch of Kosher salt
1 1/2 c. sugar (the first time I made these I only used 1 cup -    not sweet enough - I added and extra 1/2 c.)
1 cube butter softened to room temperature (1/2 c.)
2 eggs
 8 oz. ricotta cheese (about 1 c. - drain any liquid/water)
1/2 t. vanilla
zest of one large orange

Glaze:
1/4 c. orange juice
1 t. orange zest
2 1/2-3 c. powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 325.  Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.  Stir flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl.  Set aside.  In mixing bowl, beat sugar and butter on high until fluffy - about 2 minutes.  Add eggs one at a time beating well after each.  Add ricotta cheese and orange zest. Mix well.  Add flour mixture and mix just until combined - do not overmix.
Using a tablespoon cookie scoop or tablespoon, drop on cookie sheet 2 inches apart.  Bake 15-20 min until puffed and barely lightly browned at the edges.  Do not overbake.  Remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack and cool completely before glazing.

Whisk powdered sugar, orange juice and orange zest into a smooth glaze.  Add more powdered sugar if needed- but glaze should be thin enough to dip cookie into.  Dip tops of cookies completely (don't dunk - just tops) into glaze and place on a rack to drain and dry.  Allow to dry and set for 2 hrs before storing or serving.  

Grandma Cunningham's Coconut Macaroons

This recipe came out of a family cookbook that my husband's aunt put together.  His grandma loved to bake and I'm so happy to have all her delicious recipes in one book.  It is a treasure.  I have never made macaroons before, so I was kind of nervous about it, but they were way easier than I thought and so yummy!  I am a huge fan of all things coconut, so these are right up my alley.  They are soft, airy, light, and perfect for Easter!

4 eggs whites

dash of salt

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/3 cups sugar

2 2/3 cups flaked coconut

Beat egg whites, salt and vanilla until soft peaks form.  This took about 4-5 minutes.  Gradually add sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.  This took another 2-3 minutes.  Fold in coconut.  Drop by spoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet and bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes.  Carefully transfer to a cooling rack to cool.

BLOG REVIVAL & Oatmeal Banana Cookies

It's time to revive this blog and wake it from its looooong nap! Let's do this thing.  In honor of this grand occasion (I know - not really grand but...) I'm posting a cookie recipe.  Cookies - are there a MILLION, or BILLION cookie recipes out there? Yes, but this one is ONE in a million, I promise.

A few (well, several) years ago I worked in a law office with a wonderful, funny, smart, friendly, loving and fabulous woman named Mary Alice Smith. If you knew her you're lucky - if you didn't, I'm sorry.  She only worked once in a while (her son-in-law was a partner in the firm) and she ordered supplies and brought in cookies! Any paperwork she did she tagged with her initials MAS.  We saw lots of MAS paperwork floating around the office.  She had the best laugh and was feisty and sassy! MAS brought these cookies to the office A LOT!!  I sort of forgot about them (yeah, my brain is half dead sometimes) until her cutest granddaughter Jyl of momitforward.com posted a little video on facebook about her grandmother and talked about these cookies.  I have made them 3 times in 2 weeks.  Mary Alice always put chocolate chips in hers - we prefer pecans but you may want pecans AND chocolate chips.  I love these cookies - they don't require a mixer.  Just a LARGE bowl (it's a huge batch) and a sturdy spoon.  Jyl says she likes them frozen but I've never had them last long enough to freeze.  We had a church party here at our house with a lot of males in attendance and they devoured 5 dozen of them in about 1.5 minutes (well, really hours).  Make them - you won't be sorry!

MARY ALICE's BANANA COOKIES w/oatmeal

Preheat oven to 375

3 c. flour
2 c. sugar
1 t. soda
1/2 t. nutmeg
1 t. cinnamon

Stir all of the above dry ingredients in a large bowl. With a pastry cutter or two knives cut in :

1 1/2 c. butter (her recipe calls for shortening, but I use butter)

When butter is incorporated into the dry ingredients add:

2 beaten eggs
2 c. mashed banana

Stir well and add

3 1/2 cups oatmeal (I have used quick cooking and regular. Regular oatmeal makes them a little chewier but either one works fine)

Add:

1 - 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans (or walnuts)
1-2 cups of chocolate chips (these are optional)

Drop approx. 2 T. of dough onto a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with Pam.  Bake 8-10 min.  Do not overbake.  I like 9 minutes.  Remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack to cool.  Store covered or freeze (like Jyl says). 

Joe Joe Cookie Cookies

Holy cow it's been a long time since I have posted a recipe.  I don't even have a good reason like moving or having a baby or anything.  But I made these cookies yesterday and they were good!  And good cookie recipes need to be shared.  So here is the recipe and I hope you enjoy it!!

1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup (2 cubes) butter, room temp
2 eggs
1 Tbs. vanilla
2 3/4 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 sleeves (about 20 cookies) Joe Joes or Oreos if you don't have Trader Joe's

*Mix sugars.  Add butter and beat a couple of minutes until light and fluffy.  Add eggs and vanilla and mix together.  Add dry ingredients and mix.  Smash up cookies in a big ziploc bag and add to dough.  Mix until combined.  Drop onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.  (11 minutes is perfect in my oven).  I use a medium cookie scoop so they are about the size of a golf-ball.

5 INGREDIENT CHOCOLATE COOKIES

I was looking for a chocolate cookie recipe I used to have and can't find. Thought maybe the internet could help me --because after all you can find ANYTHING on the internet, right? I didn't find my recipe, but ran across this from the Yahoo chef (didn't know there was such a person) and thought they sounded interesting.  His name is Fabio (yes, it really is) Viviani.  The recipe is small and only has 5 ingredients, so I tried them.  They really are good and easy and oh so tasty!! The reason:  NUTELLA!!! I only know one person (my very own daughter) who doesn't love it! I think she might have been adopted--JK--love you Megs!!  Here goes

1 c. Nutella
2 T. brown sugar
1 egg

Preheat oven to 350. Mix above ingredients  on low for a few minutes and slowly add 3/4 c. flour just until well mixed.  Scoop with spoon or small cookie/ice cream scoop onto parchment lined cookie sheet--about walnut size.  Sprinkle the tops with a small amount of coarse sea salt.  Salt enhances the sweetness of baked goods.  Bake for 10 minutes.  Remove from cookie sheet and cool on baking rack.

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars

Sometimes you just don't have time to make 4 dozen cookies.

Your intentions are good and your butter is sitting out all soft and ready to go.  Then you look at the clock and realize that it's just not happening.

Cookie Bars to the rescue!  Same great taste in only 18-20 minutes.  These are even kind of healthy-ish.  Relatively speaking.

You will love this cookie alternative!!

1 cup butter, softened to room temp.
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbs. vanilla
1 3/4 cup white wheat flour
2 cups oats
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1 bag milk chocolate chips (Ghirardelli is my fave)
1 bag mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

*Mix butter and brown sugar for a few minutes until light and fluffy.  Add eggs and vanilla and mix until combined.  Add the next four ingredients and mix until combined.  Add chocolate chips and mix.  Spread into an ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes.  18 minutes is perfection in my oven.  Cool for 30 minutes or so before cutting.

Super Soft Sugar Cookies

There are two treats that I will never turn down.  Ever.

Homemade cinnamon rolls and homemade sugar cookies.

If either of these treats is ever available to me, I have no choice but to eat it.  I don't even try to resist because it's useless.

My son has been wanting to make sugar cookies since Halloween.  And although I love eating them, I don't really love making them.  So it only happens once or twice a year.  Last night we made egg-shaped sugar cookies and decorated them for Easter.  I tried a new recipe out of one of my favorite cookbooks, which coincidentally, is called, "Favorites."

They turned out really soft and yummy and I think this recipe is definitely a keeper.

1 1/2 cups butter, softened (3 cubes)
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1/4 cup sour cream
3/4 tsp. almond extract
3/4 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
5 cups flour

*Beat butter and sugar for a few minutes until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, sour cream, almond and vanilla extracts, and mix well.  Add soda, salt and flour (gradually) and mix on low until combined.  Don't over-mix.  Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3-4 hours.  Roll out on a floured surface to about 1/4 inch thick.  Cut into shapes and bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes, depending on how big your cookies are.  Our small cookies took about 8 minutes and the big ones took a little longer.  You don't want them to brown.  Cool on racks before frosting.  

Frosting:

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
16 oz. powdered sugar
dash of salt
1 tsp. vanilla
cream, half and half, or milk


*Beat cream cheese and butter until no lumps.  Slowly add powdered sugar and mix until smooth.  Add a little salt and the vanilla and then add a little cream (or whatever you have) until you like the consistency.  Add food coloring if you want to different colors and decorate until your heart is content!

Brown Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies

Snickerdoodles are one of my absolute favorite cookies.  Ever.  One of my friends told me about a recipe she had found on Pinterest for snickerdoodles and I knew I had to try it.  I have to admit that it was more time consuming than the recipe I usually use, but boy was it worth it! The recipe is from Ambitious Kitchen.  If you go to her blog, she has step by step instructions on how to brown the butter.

Brown Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies

 

 

 

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon of salt
• 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter
• 1¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
• 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon plain Greek yogurt
• For rolling mixture:
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Instructions

1. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and salt in a bowl and set aside. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. The butter will begin to foam. Make sure you whisk consistently during this process. After a couple of minutes, the butter will begin to brown on the bottom of the saucepan; continue to whisk and remove from heat as soon as the butter begins to brown and give off a nutty aroma. Immediately transfer the butter to a bowl to prevent burning. Set aside to cool for a few minutes.
2. With an electric mixer, mix the butter and sugars until thoroughly blended. Beat in the egg, yolk, vanilla, and yogurt until combined. Add the dry ingredients slowly and beat on low-speed just until combined.
3. Chill your dough for 3 hours or as long as possible in the refrigerator (important!), or place in freezer for 30 minutes if you are super eager, although I cannot promise the same results if you do this. Fridge is always best! You want the dough VERY cold. If you desire a ‘puffy’ cookie, place them in the fridge overnight.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Once dough is chilled measure about 2 tablespoons of dough and roll into a ball. Meanwhile mix 1/4 cup sugar and the 2 teaspoons cinnamon in a bowl. Roll balls in cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place dough balls on cookie sheet, 2 inches apart.
5. Bake the cookies 8-11 minutes or until the edges of the cookies begin to turn golden brown. They will look a bit underdone in the middle, but will continue to cook once out of the oven. Bake longer if you like crispier cookies. Cool the cookies on the sheets at least 2 minutes. Remove the cooled cookies from the baking sheets after a few minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough.

ALMOND BUTTER COOKIES WITH COCONUT

I have been a little obsessed with Almond Butter lately--well I guess a lot obsessed! I've been eating it by the spoonful every day.  I used to eat peanut butter like that as a snack but peanut butter got kicked out of the saddle recently! I was so excited to find Sam's Club carries a large jar of MaraNatha almond butter for the same price as one half the size at the regular grocery store. There are lots of brands--just use what you like. And I'm obsessed with coconut too so I made these today and ate 10--really I did!! You could also add some slivered almonds to these.

Makes 3 dozen

2 1/2 c. flour

1/2 t. baking soda

1/2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1 c. brown sugar

3/4 c. granulated sugar

1 c. almond butter

2 eggs

1 t. almond extract

3/4 c. shredded coconut

In medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.  In large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy.  Add the almond butter and mix until fully incorporated.  Add eggs and almond extract and mix together.  Mix in dry ingredients until just combined.  .  Fold in coconut.  Refrigerate dough at least one hour or up to overnight.

 When ready to bake preheat oven to 350.  Use 2 tablespoon cookie scoop and place dough on parchment-lined baking sheets about 2 inches apart.  Bake 10-12 minutes, unti l cookies are puffy and golden brown around the edges.  Remove from oven and let cookies stand on baking sheet for 5 minutes.  Transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool.

Butterscotch White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

I wish I could remember where I saw this cookie, but I honestly cannot.  I have narrowed it down to Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, or another recipe blog.  All I remember, is seeing a picture of a cookie and someone saying that butterscotch/white chocolate chip cookies were their favorite.  Well, after that I couldn't stop thinking about these cookies and finally decided I had to make them.  But since I can't remember where I saw them in the first place, I just used my favorite go-to cookie recipe and switched up the chips.  Success!  These cookies really are delicious and now I can see why someone, somewhere, said they were their favorite.

1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
1 cup butter, softened to room temp.
2 eggs
1 Tbs. vanilla
1 3/4 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
2 cups oats
1 1/2 cups butterscotch chips
1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips

*Mix the sugars.  Add butter and cream together until light and fluffy.  Add eggs and vanilla and mix well.  Add flour, salt and soda.  Mix well.  Add oats and stir together.  Add the chips until all combined.  Scoop onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.  I usually do 11 minutes and they come out perfect.  Cool on sheet for a few minutes before removing to a cooling rack.

Giant Molasses Cookies

I tore this recipe out of a magazine a few months ago so I could try it for my father-in-law who loves ginger cookies.  I finally made them on Father's Day.  They are big and soft and our house smelled like Christmas while they were baking!  Kind of fun when it's 150 degrees outside.  We loved these cookies and my father-in-law was  delighted at the special treat we made just for him.

1 1/2 cups butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup molasses
4 1/2 cups flour
4 tsp. ground ginger
2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. salt
small bowl of sugar for rolling

*Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in eggs and molasses.  Add dry ingredients and mix well.  Shape into 2-inch balls and roll in sugar.  Bake on ungreased cookie sheet for 15 minutes at 400 degrees.

Mini Chip Chippers

I made these for a baby shower today.  The theme was "tiny" and all the food was little and bite-size.  Don't you love when things are miniature?  Everything looks cute when it's tiny.  And when you're eating little food, you can eat more, right?  Exactly.

1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup butter, softened to room temp
2 eggs
1 Tbs. vanilla
1 3/4 cups flour
2 cups oats
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 bag mini chocolate chips

*Mix sugars.  Add butter and mix well until light and fluffy.  Add eggs and vanilla and mix together.  Add dry ingredients and mix until it's all blended.  Scoop with a small cookie scoop or make little dough balls about the size of a nickel.  Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 8-9 minutes.  Mine were a little doughy at 8 minutes so I took them out and let them cool on the cookie sheet for another 5 minutes.  Perfection.

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie

I know this claim has been made before but this recipe has truly won me over time and again.  Other cookies who claim to be the best seem to be a different variation of the same old cookie.  But this one has secret ingredients which really makes these stand out.  This is the perfect cookie for Easter!  Thanks to my cousin Lynley who gave me this life changing recipe. 

Chocolate Chip Malt Cookies

1 c. butter, softened/melted

1 1/4 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. malt (Carnation regular malt...you can get it in in the baking aisle or the creamer aisle. I usually have to look for it for awhile).*

2-4 T hershey syrup*

1 t vanilla

Add and mix...

1 egg

Add and mix...

1 t salt

1 t baking soda

Add and mix...

3 c. flour

Stir in...
1/2 bag toffee*

3-4 c. chocolate chips (1/2 milk 1/2 semi sweet)

I also added Easter Robin Eggs which gave it even more of an malt kick.  I just throw them in to the dough whole and let the Kitchen Aid break them up. * 

Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes. Just until the shine is gone. (If you overcook them they aren't very good). They will be too soft right when you get them out of the oven so let them cool for a few minutes and then take them off the pan and cool on a wire rack. 


*Secret ingredients!

Peanut butter M&M Marshmallow Cookies

Peanut butter, chocolate, and marshmallows - yes please!  These cookies are full of peanut buttery goodness.  They are the perfect cookie.  Soft inside with a little crunch from the M&M's.  We loved them!  Like "ate so many I lost count" loved them.

Peanut Butter M&M Marshmallow Cookies
     from Sweet Treats and More

1/2 c. butter flavored Crisco, soft (I used butter.  I'm not a Crisco fan).

1/2 c. granulated sugar

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. peanut butter

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

2 tbsp.milk

1 3/4 c. flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1 c. Peanut Butter M&M's

3/4 c. mini marshmallows

1/2 c. chocolate chips

 

Cream butter, sugars, peanut butter and egg.  Add vanilla.  Mix well.  Then, add dry ingredients and finish with M&M's, marshmallows and chocolate chips.  Bake at 350 for 8 to 9 minutes.  Cool on cooling rack.  

*I doubled the recipe.  More is always better!

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

I have been wanting to make these for a while, but kept putting it off for two reasons:  #1) macadamia nuts are not cheap and I never want to buy them and #2) I knew my kids wouldn't like them so I needed to have somewhere to take them or somebody to give them to.  I finally got around to it this week and now I remember how much I love this combo in a cookie.

1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbs. vanilla
2 3/4 cups flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
2 cups white chocolate chips
1 cup macadamia nuts

*Mix butter and brown sugar until nice a fluffy.  Add eggs and vanilla and mix well.  Add flour, soda and salt and mix well.  Add chips and nuts and mix to combine.  Scoop onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 11 minutes at 350.  Let cool for a couple of minutes on sheet and then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

Why not ring in the new year with chocolate!  Who really sticks to their "no sugar/eat healthy" resolutions anyways?  Mine lasted until 2pm today.  Baby steps.  Anyways, we had dinner at Rach's house on Sunday and she whipped these beauties up for dessert.  Usually, she's a dough nazi and doesn't let me snack on it while she makes cookies.  But this time, I got to eat as much as I wanted it and it was divine!  It was like a thick brownie dough with chocolate chips.  I'm usually not big on chocolate cookies, but these were delicious.  Melt in your mouth delicious.

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2/3 cup cocoa
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups flour
2 cups chocolate chips

Cream butter, sugar and eggs.  Beat until fluffy, then add vanilla.  Mix in dry ingredients and finish with chocolate chips.  Scoop onto cookies sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.

Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies

I usually eat Craisins in my salads but tonight I decided to try them in cookies.  I got the recipe from the back of the Craisins bag.  I was intrigued by the fact that they have no white sugar in them, just brown.  When I told my husband what kind of cookies I was baking, he said, "Vomit."  Then he proceeded to eat 3 in a row.  Vomit?  I think not.  Fabulous?  Indeed!

 

Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup butter (softened)
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 cups oatmeal
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/4 cup Craisins
1 cup white chocolate chips

Cream butter, brown sugar and eggs.  Add vanilla, baking soda and salt.  Mix in oatmeal and flour.  Then, add Craisins and chips.  Drop by spoonfuls onto baking sheet.  Bake for 10 minutes at 375.  Cool on cooling rack.

Dark Chocolate Walnut Cookies

Ever since I ate that legendary cookie from the Levain Bakery in NYC, I haven't stopped thinking about dark chocolate and walnuts.

A food marriage that is sure to last.

I looked at a few different cookie recipes that I love and came up with this one.  It's practically healthy, minus the butter and brown sugar.  My husband and I loved them, but the kids were less than impressed.  They don't appreciate dark chocolate or walnuts yet, but I'm not giving up hope.

1 cup butter, softened to room temp
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbs. vanilla
2 cups whole wheat flour (I used hard white wheat flour)
2 cups oats
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 bag dark chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli)
1 cup walnuts, broken into small pieces

*Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs and vanilla and mix well.  Add dry ingredients and mix well.  Add chocolate chips and walnuts and mix to combine.  Drop onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 10-11 minutes at 350.  I take mine out when they still look a little gooey and then I let them sit on the cookie sheet for 5 more minutes before removing to a wire rack.