Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Tex's Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies

That Yank may be known for her yummy chocolate chip cookies (you can find that recipe here), but around these parts, I'm the queen of chocolate chip cookies. So, at the risk of stepping all over Ruthy's toes, I've decided to share my knock-out chocolate chip cookie recipe. Some of it is similar to Ruthy's, but, like her, I have a few twists of my own.

You're gonna need:
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup shortening
  • 3/4 cup dark brown sugar (if you don't have dark brown, regular brown sugar will taste fine too)
  • 3/4 granulated white sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon (for me, it tends to be a heaping teaspoon)
  • 2 1/4 cups flour (like Ruthy, I prefer the Better for Bread variety, but all-purpose works great)
  • 4 tablespoons ground flax seed (you can use more, or less, if you like)
  • 2 cups chocolate chips
Cream together your butter and shortening.
 
Now add your sugars and beat until light and fluffy. This is not light and fluffy. Yet.
 
Now add your eggs, one at a time, and mix until well blended before adding your dry ingredients. While that's mixing away, I want to talk about cinnamon. I love cinnamon in my chocolate chip cookies. However, my tastes are evolving. I started using  plain old cinnamon. Then I learned about roasted Saigon cinnamon. That stuff is worth writing home about. Just do a sniff test between the regular cinnamon and the roasted cinnamon and you'll smell the difference. Then my SIL turned me on to this company called Penzey's Spices (http://www.penzeys.com/). They have this fancy Vietnamese cinnamon that is to die for. And their prices are very reasonable. Cheaper than what I paid for the McCormick roasted cinnamon.  I suggest going in with some other folks who like to bake to hit that $30 level so you can get free shipping.
 
Okay, I'll step off of my cinnamon soap box now and finish these cookies.
 
Now I add my secret ingredient. The one my kids know nothing about, but is so good for them.
Flax seed. It adds a nice nutty flavor/crunch and they never even notice it.
 
Stir in your chocolate chips.

Scoop (or drop by tablespoons) onto a cookie sheet .

 
And bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. Notice there are a few empty spaces. Who can resist warm cookies? No one in my house. 
 
I like my cookies soft and chewy, not crisp and crunchy, which is why I use half butter/half shortening. However, if you happen to like yours crunchy, then by all means, skip the shortening and use all butter.
 
Cookie break, anyone?


18 comments:

  1. *sob*

    Ok, I'm recovered now. Almost.

    I want one of these SO BAD I don't think I can move past this post.

    And why flax seed? I may have to Google.

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    1. Virginia, a while back I heard a doctor (who wasn't from the land of Oz) say that if a person wanted to do one thing to improve their overall health to add flax seed to their diet, 1-2 tablespoons a day. Well, that's easy for me to accomplish. My boys, not so much. But they love cookies. So if I sneek the flax in there, they eat it. They just don't know it :-) And I think it adds a bit of a nice nutty crunch that isn't nuts, because they won't eat those either. Further proof they have no taste.

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  2. Oh, Mindy, I'll share the chocolate chip limelight with you anytime... and I mentioned you in Seekerville this morning, so make sure you, Ginny and Jan stop by to talk about getting revision letters and following them.... Lynne Marshall (a Harlequin romance author) is there, talking about following through on those revisions, and we have so many success stories that did just that, I had to give youse a shout out.....

    I would love these cookies. I haven't met a cookie I didn't love, LOL! And if people like a dark brown sugar background taste, they can add a dollop of molasses, because even dark brown sugars aren't as molasses rich as they used to be.

    Did you know that all sugar is refined now, and then they ADD the molasses back in to make light and dark brown sugar? It's cheaper to do it that way.

    What a hoot!

    Anyway, I bet the flax gives it a nice crunch, but what made you think of that? And I wonder if toasted sunflower seeds would be wonderful as well? But I love to eat them plain, by the shovels-ful and would the kids like them????

    I must try some and see, but yes, I'm reiterating Virginia: Why flax? And if you say because they're HEALTHIER that way, I will fall down laughing right here.

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    1. Ruthy, one of these days I'm gonna try adding the molasses. I have it, just need to remember to do it.

      I love nuts (pecans are my fave) in my chocolate chip cookies. But the boys won't touch 'em if I add the nuts. I was afraid they might notice something different when I started adding the flax, but so far they haven't. Probably because I grind it up.

      And while the cookies themselves may not be healthier, they're getting something with the flax they wouldn't get otherwise.

      Heading over to Seekerville now....

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    2. So, I'm new to the whole flax seed thing too. Do you have to grind your own, or can you buy it already ground? I'm a texture girl, no nuts in my cookies or anything, so if I grind it so I can't find it, I'm all good.

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    3. I've always heard it's best (most health benefit) to grind your own, fresh each time. I use a small coffee grinder (don't use it anymore now that I have a Keurig). :)

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    4. Pink (I know who you really are:-), you can buy it already ground, but it's easier/cheaper/better to grind your own. I have one of those Magic Bullet things, so I simply put what I need in the small cup and pulse it a couple of times. You can even go old-school and use a mortar and pestal. If you grind your own, though, you can get it to the consistency you like.

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    5. That sounds good. I have one of those bullet things too, so I could try that. Really, really fine grind would work. :)
      Andrea

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  3. Thank you, Mindy! My daughter has been wanting to back cc cookies all week! This will make life simpler. :)

    But I must first buy some shortening! I think mine is probably too old. I never use it. Will also check out the fancy cinnamon. Sounds amazing.

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    1. Missy, that's why I buy my shortening in sticks and keep it in the fridge. There's nothing worse than opening a tub of Crisco and getting a whiff that's, shall we say, less-than-fresh. Yuck. Besides, then I don't have to worry about measuring. I simply cut what I need.

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    2. I need to do that, Mindy. I cannot STAND the smell of rancid Crisco!

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  4. Mindy, I went to the Penzeys site - you do realize you've opened up a whole new supplier to a spice junkie, don't you?

    That's okay. I won't tell my husband it was you :)

    My poor family had to give up chocolate chip cookies when I realized I have no willpower when it comes to warm cookies. I make them a Christmas time...or when someone is around to keep me accountable...but the days of warm cookies once a week are long gone.

    But I'll try both your recipe and Ruthy's sometime when my daughter is home. The family can do a taste test!

    By the way, I'm all for flax seeds. I have them in my cereal every morning.

    Heading over to Seekerville....

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    Replies
    1. From one spice junkie to another, Jan....:-)

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    2. Oh, Jaaaannnnn.... Did you happen to notice there's a Penzey's in Indianapolis? Are you going to conference? If so, I'm thinking FIELD TRIP! (Don't get your panties in a wad, Pink. Spices are consumable products. We'll still hit the store in Arlington)

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    3. Ooooooh!

      My trip to Indy depends on editors and contracts, but things are looking hopeful :)

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  5. I love you gals... I'm just sayin'!!!!

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    Replies
    1. Love you back, Ruthy!

      All you ladies make my day :)

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    2. We love you too, Ruthy. (insert big group hug here)
      However, I am wondering...are you buttering us up for something?

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