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Chocolate Chip Cookies with Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract

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Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chocolate chip cookies are America’s favorite cookies to bake,  share, and (especially!) eat.  I’ve always loved making each batch a little different from the previous batch, just to keep things deliciously interesting.

Adding various nuts and/or peanut butter chips or white chocolate morsels is a easy way to experiment with different flavors. Another easy and flavorful to switch things up is to use different vanilla extracts.  The sweet, creamy flavor of Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract adds a whole new dimension to chocolate chip cookies and it’ll blow you away.

Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

1-1/2 c. butter, softened
1-1/4 c. white sugar
1-1/4 c. brown sugar
1 T. Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract
2 eggs
4 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1-3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1-12 oz. pkg. semisweet chocolate chips. (2 c.)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix butter, sugars, vanilla and eggs in large bowl. Stir in flour, soda, salt, baking powder and cream of tartar. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop with a #40 scoop (looks like a metal mini ice cream scoop) or a rounded measuring tablespoonful about 2 inches apart onto an ungreased insulated baking sheet. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until light brown. Cool slightly: remove from baking sheet. Cool on wire rack. Makes about 4 dozen crackly, chewy-crispy bakery-style cookies. They are wonderful!

A few tips you might want to try to put your own spin on these wonderful cookies:

  • Switch the chips: Instead of using 2 cups of semisweet chocolate chips, try using white chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, or a combination of all three. Using coarsely chopped baking chocolate instead of chips will add a gourmet feel to the recipe.
  • Make it nutty: Try adding 1 cup of coarsely chopped nuts to the batter. Pecans or walnuts are a classic addition, while macadamia nuts or pistachios add a bit of a nontraditional flair.
  • Salt the tops: Baked goods aren’t just about the sugar; salt amplifies the flavors in even the sweetest recipes. Sprinkle the tops of your cookies with coarse sea salt just before baking to bring out the flavors of the brown sugar and chocolate in this recipe. Try using a smoked sea salt for an extra-special touch.
  • Build a sandwich: Pair this recipe with your favorite ice cream flavor for the perfect ice cream sandwich, or spread them with buttercream frosting for a cookie sandwich treat. Use a peanut butter frosting for that classic chocolate and peanut butter combination that everyone loves.

Recipe and Photo Credit: Nielsen-Massey Vanillas and Renee Hartzler.

Christmas Cookies Recipe: Beautiful Starlight Mint Sugar Cookies

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Christmas Cookies Recipe: Peppermint Swirl Cookies

As pointed out in a festive short video on Targets “A Bullseye View,” Peppermint makes the Christmas season even more beautifully delicious and deliciously beautiful (click here for the video). Whether it’s something as simple as hanging peppermint candy canes on the tree or baking beautiful peppermint desserts – like the cookies below – peppermint just makes the season feel more festive.

After reading the recipe, check out a few of the adorable Christmas decorations available on Target.com and in Target stores.  I recently raided our local Target and came out with 14 different Christmas decorations! Once I got started, I couldn’t stop. Seriously, two of my three daughters were with me and they couldn’t even slow me down.

Over the years, I’ve collected A LOT of Christmas ornaments. I always buy ornaments that “represent” the different members of my precious family.  Some ornaments represent an animal someone’s crazy about (cats, pigs, and polar bears for me… penguins for Emily..), favorite hobbies, favorite cartoon characters, favorite Christmas movies, etc. I also encourage everyone top pick out one or two ornaments each year that catch their eye.  Needless to say, I spend a great deal of time looking for ornaments and I give you my word – Target has the best selection of original ornaments AND the best prices on ornaments.  They also have tons of ridiculously beautiful stockings out this year.  I came thisclose to getting new stockings for everyone.  The idea’s still on the table – they have some seriously gorgeous stockings this year.

On this recent trip I grabbed 5 different ornaments and promised at least 10 that I’d be back for them.  Fortunately, I’m a Target-o-HAUL-ic of my word.

I also happen to collect anything and everything related to Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. I’ve been obsessed with that cartoon since… well…  since I can remember.  It used to be pretty hard to find Rudolph-related decorations, but Target hooked me up but good this year. They have the most adorable little stuffed replicas of the characters and, yes, of course I had to have them all.  The top of an antique roll top desk has become the North Pole and I can’t promise that they won’t stay out year round.

Target.com has A LOT of ornaments and decorations that aren’t available in stores (if you’re an NFL fan, you’ll love the NFL ornaments and gnomes). See Target’s Christmas Decorations and Ornaments and, of course, be sure to check out your local Target store.

Now for the cookies! The recipe below will make the tastiest and possibly the most adorable cookies you ever had. They’re perfect for gift-giving too, but I’m not sure I could part with them.

Starlight Mint Sugar Cookies Recipe

1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Few drops red food coloring

  1. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl until blended. Beat in egg, milk and extract. Add flour and baking powder; beat on low until just combined.
  2. Remove half of dough; press into disc shape and wrap with plastic wrap. To remaining dough, add a few drops food coloring. Mix well. Flatten into disc and wrap. Refrigerate both at least 30 minutes.
  3. Place colored dough between 2 large sheets of plastic wrap; roll out to a 12×8-inch rectangle, about 1/4 inch thick. Repeat with plain dough. Remove top sheet of plastic wrap from both doughs. Invert plain dough onto red dough. Gently press and trim edges. Remove top sheet of plastic wrap. Starting with short side, roll up dough into spiral. Wrap tightly; freeze about 30 minutes or until very firm.
  4. Heat oven to 375°F. Unwrap dough; cut into 1/4-inch slices. On ungreased cookie sheet, place slices 1 inch apart. Bake 8 to 10 minutes until set. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Store in an airtight container.

Gift Giving Idea: Wrap individually in cellophane and tie with ribbon for gift-giving!

Recipe Courtesy of A Bullseye View

Some of My Recent Loot:

Owl Christmas Ornament from Target  Penguin Christmas Ornament from Target Polar Bear Christmas Ornament from Target Raccoon Christmas Ornament from Target Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer Dolls Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer Dolls Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer Dolls

When I was checking out, my adorable cashier fell in love with each ornament. When she scanned the first one (the owl), she said, “As soon as I get off, I’m going back there for this one.” By the time she got to the last ornament, she changed her mind, “Forget when I get off, I’m spending my lunch break rounding these guys up.”

Sigh. A kindred spirit.