I have never been a big Biscotti fan.

I like my cookies really soft and chewy – not crunchy. That all changed at Christmas when my friend shared some cranberry white chocolate biscotti.

Heavenly!

So I thought it was time to give up my foolish prejudice and try some biscotti for ourselves.

Dagmar and I dig up a basic recipe and then played around with it to use the ingredients we have on hand.

The result were these yummy cookies.

Yes, I’m a believer now!

Chocolate Almond Biscotti

1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup white sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 eggs
1 3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup slivered almonds
3/4 cup chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Cream together the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually add in the cocoa and baking powder, beat for 2 minutes.

Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the almond extract. Stir in the flour by hand.

Mix in the almonds and the chocolate chips.

Cover the dough and chill for 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Divide the dough into tow parts and roll each part into a 9 inch long log. Place the logs on a lightly greased cookie sheet , about 4 inches apart. Flatten slightly.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Cool one hour.

Cut each loaf into 1/2 wide diagonal slices. place slices on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 325 degrees for 9 minutes.  Turn the cookies over and bake for another 7-9 minutes.

Cool completely and store in an air tight container.

Enjoy!

After all the rich and indulgent chocolate treats over Valentine’s – it’s time to simplify; to head back to our roots.

Is there any food as down home and comforting as a chocolate chip cookie? The whole combination of brown sugar and butter with little bites of chocolate is always a winner!

Three are so many different recipes out there – and I would be willing to test each and every one!

Each of my sister’s has their own special recipe, and my favorite is whichever one I am holding in my hand at anytime!

This recipe is one my youngest sister served us at a recent trip to her house.  They are thick and chewy – just they way I like ‘em!

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/8 cups flour (2 cups and 2 Tablespoons)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon soda
1 1/2 sticks melted butter (3/4 cup)
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips (or more)

Sift together the flour, salt and soda and set aside.

Mix the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Beat in the egg, egg yolk and vanilla.

Add the flour mixture and the chocolate chips.

Drop by teaspoons on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for 13- 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

What’s more wonderful than a chocolate chop cookie?

A double chocolate chip cookie of course!

My sister Sandy made these as part of her Christmas baking this year and shared some with me. (You’d think she liked me or something!)

You really don’t want to know how many I ate. To be honest – I think I lost count. But at least I didn’t hide them from the children!

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 3/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup butter or margarine (softened)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup baking cocoa
2 tablespoons milk
1 cup pecans or walnuts
1 cup chocolate chips

Combine flour and baking soda and set aside.

Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars until fluffy. Add vanilla. Beat in the egg.

At low speed beat in cocoa followed by the milk.

Carefully stir in the dry ingredients with a spoon until just blended. Stir in the chips and nuts.

Drop by rounded teaspoonful on a foil lined baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-13 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool slightly before removing to wire racks.

Enjoy!

I’ve linked this post with my friend Lisa over at Stop and Smell the Chocolates for her chocolate Friday fun!

My family seems to have a thing with chocolate and peanut butter.

I mean a serious “thing”with the combination.

A shopping trip with my mom and sister never ended without a chocolate/peanut butter ice cream cone at Baskin Robbins and you better not touch their Reese’s peanut butter cups!

So I was not overly surprised when my sister made these peanut butter chocolate cookies.

I was surprised, however, that she shared them with me!  Soft, moist and full of both chocolate chips AND chopped Reese’s peanut butter cups, these are very addicting!

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

1 cup butter or margarine
2/3 cup peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups chocolate chips
2 cups chopped Reese’s peanut butter cups (about 6 1.6 oz. packages)

Cream the butter, peanut butter and sugars. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Add vanilla.

In a separate bowl combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add to the creamed mixture.

Stir in chocolate chips and chopped peanut butter cups.

Drop by rounded Tablespoons about 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Cool about 2 minutes on the sheets before removing to wire racks.

Enjoy!

I love a moist cookie. Chewy and soft are my biggest criteria when deciding if a recipe is a keeper or not.

So when I saw this recipe that claimed -  in the very title – that is was moist, I had to try them out.

A potluck dinner at church was the perfect excuse to bake.

And…feeling a bit adventurous, I made some with butterscotch pudding and some with chocolate pudding.

The result? Yummy, soft and moist cookies just as promised in the name!

Moist Chocolate Chip Cookies

2-1/4 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 c. margarine, softened
1/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar, packed
1 tsp. vanilla
1 pkg. vanilla instant pudding mix (4 serving size)
2 eggs
1 (12 oz.) pkg. chocolate chips (I used mini M & M’s)
1 c. chopped nuts (optional)

Mix flour and baking soda; set aside. Combine margarine, both sugars, pudding mix and vanilla in large mixing bowl. Beat until smooth and creamy.

Beat in eggs.

Gradually add flour mixture, then stir in chips and nuts. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls about 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.

Bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes. Makes 5 dozen.

Enjoy!