Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix Up

I love chocolate chip cookies. And one of the many things I love about them is that the dough is so versatile. Last week I wanted to make some cookies, but couldn't decide what kind. So, I started with my regular chocolate chip cookie dough, then mixed things up a bit.

My basic chocolate chip cookie recipe is as follows:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar 
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 1/4 cups all purpose or bread flour

You know the drill. Beat butter and shortening together, then add sugars and beat until well combined. Add eggs and mix well. Now add your flour, half a cup at a time, salt, baking soda and cinnamon and mix well. If you were making regular choco chip cookies, you would add 2 cups chocolate chips and 1 cup chopped nuts, if desired. But here's where I threw in a few variations. 

I scooped out my plain dough onto baking sheets, then let my imagination take over.

First, I had some leftover Christmas M&Ms that I wanted to use up. So, I pressed those into the first dozen dough balls.
I was really in the mood for  pecans, so I pressed some halves into several. Oh, and I do like just the plain cookies, too, so I left a few as is.
However, number one son would balk if there weren't some tried and true chocolate chip ones.
And to make sure hubby was happy, I made sure there were a few with pecans.

Bake in a 375 degree oven for 8-11 minutes, depending on your oven and how crisp or soft you prefer your cookies.

And voila!
A people-pleasing,
 pot pourri...
...of Toll House goodness.

Everyone was happy and the cookies were gone in no time. Which is good, because the more they eat, the fewer that are left for me. 

So how do you like your Toll House cookies?

13 comments:

  1. This is so fun! Julie, I love playing with cookie dough, too, and seeing how I can vary things. We do M&M chocolate chip cookies often. I send them to the NYC boys as a Mom-surprise. It makes them and their friends happy!

    Great ideas and great fun and I'm kind of in disbelief that you or anyone can have leftover M&M's.

    :)

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    1. I know! I was shocked, too, Ruthy, but the boys didn't seem to have any interest until they were in the cookies. Go figure.

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    2. ACH!!! i said Julie because I'd just read Julie's e-mail and came over here, Tex. What a dweeb I am. You know, my boys are the same way. They can walk by a bowl of M&M's and keep walking. Not my girls. And I love putting things in cookies.

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    3. I figured it was something like that, Ruthy.

      Plain M&Ms I can walk away from. Peanut M&Ms are another story. Can't have them in the house.

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    4. Mindy, I'm the say way with the plain and peanut M&M's! I also have a weakness for the almond ones and peanut butter ones as well.

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    5. I've still not tried almond M&Ms, Missy. I think I'm afraid I'd like them too much. ;) My youngest son loves the pretzel ones. The sweet/salty combo is hard to resist.

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  2. My daughter made some toll house bars and added the evil Cadbury mini eggs. I couldn't eat but they were gone, gone, gone in no time. So I think that means they were like yours, very good.

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    1. You mean the mini cream-filled eggs, Julie? Interesting.

      You know, I had some toffee bits in the pantry. I bet those would have been good, too. Hmm...might need to make another batch. Not too soon, though. I did too much indulging at Round Top this weekend. 😉

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    2. I've used the Heath bits in cookies and brownies, much to the delight of so many Blodgetts. :)

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    3. Yep, I will definitely have to try those next.

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  3. YUM! I don't think I ever met a cookie I didn't like. ;)

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  4. I'm with Missy. Although the traditional Tollhouse Chocolate Chip cookies are always at the top for me!

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