Nutella Chocolate Cookies

Dear Mr. Pietro Ferrero, 

I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for inventing "Pasta Gianduja" or as we have come to know it, Nutella, in 1946. Because of your incredible creation you have brought me hours at the gym joy in eating, and just as much happiness baking with this wonderful chocolaty goodness. It is rare that something that is quite simple in ingredients would sweep nations and cause almost "mass hysteria" when showcased in a dessert. You have done an outstanding public service, and for that I'm eternally grateful!

Sincerely,

Susi's Kochen und Backen Adventures

Oh yeah, my love for Nutella is like no other. I'm hardcore and prefer it straight up, with a spoon, but also can't pass up a great dessert made with this stuff. So it was only logical when I came across today's recipe and saw it was utilizing one whole cup of the brown gold, that I had to make it. Another good reason (or justification), all three of my kids are on spring break and we all know that kids and cookies go together hand in hand, right? This recipe makes for pretty thin, crispy cookies, but the center stays semi-soft. Most of my family prefers big thick chewy cookies, but I haven't heard any complaints so far and the batch is almost gone. 

This cookie doesn't look fancy, but don't let that deceive you. The batter is kicked up with the addition of Nutella, chopped hazelnuts and chocolate chips. Both of the latter ingredients mimicking Nutella and with that, the cookie is full of flavor and depth. 

The batch makes quite a lot of cookies, but after sending some to work with my husband and countless neighbor-kids "passing by", there are only a handful left. I had a couple of 9 year old boys tell me that I make the best homemade cookies. That made my day and earned this recipe a permanent spot in my recipe files. So, if you are like me and harbor a quite unnatural love for Nutella and cookies, don't wait to make these little guys. There is never a wrong time to bake cookies and these chocolaty gems taste great with a big tall glass of milk or a cup of coffee.

Nutella Chocolate Cookies

 ~makes 6 dozen~

(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 cup white sugar

1 cup Nutella

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs

2 cups, plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup chopped hazelnuts

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream butter in an electric mixer for 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the sugars and Nutella and mix well, scraping down the sides of the bowl to ensure even mixing.

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for 30 seconds between each. Add the vanilla and mix for 10 seconds.

Sift together the flour, cocoa, salt, and baking soda (do not skip this step as sifting eliminates clumps of cocoa). Mix into the butter mixture on low speed until fully incorporated, scraping down the bottom and sides at least once to ensure even mixing. Fold in the chocolate chips and hazelnuts and refrigerate the dough for ten minutes.

Spoon tablespoon-sized drops of dough onto parchment or silpat lined cookie sheets. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes. Allow to cool on the sheets for a minute or two before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Adapted from: Simply Recipes

Toffee Pecan Cookies and a Giveaway

Every once in a while an email lands in my inbox that gets me excited just by reading the subject line. This was the case when Elizabeth from Tate's Bake Shop contacted me to inquire if I was interested in reviewing some of their cookies and cookbook. Cookies and a cookbook, ummm, yes please! What made this even more exciting was the fact that I had known of Tate's Bake Shop cookies for quite some time, but have never had the pleasure of trying them myself. The bakery was founded by Kathleen King and is located in Southhampton, NY. The cookies are actually quite famous and have been featured in Everyday with Rachael Ray Magazine, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and InStyle Magazine, just to name a few.

The package arrived promptly and I couldn't wait to taste test. Of course, I had my trusty crew (my husband and kids) help me with this enormous "chore".  The first thing I recognized when opening the cookies was the fact that not one of them were broken or chipped, which might be due to the fact that they are all hand-packed with care. They contain all natural ingredients that you can taste with every bite. The cookies are actually quite flat and crispy compared to most cookies my family has been used to.  The smell is incredible on these cookies, they are buttery with lovely caramel undertones. Considering the cookies my family usually prefers, it was quite a surprise of how quickly they were gone, but they were quite addicting. The front runner by far were the White Chocolate Chip Macadamia Nut cookies, followed by the Chocolate Chip and then Oatmeal Raisin. My husband and I really loved the Oatmeal Raisin since it has the perfect amount of spice to it without any of them standing out or being overpowering, but the kids crowned both of the chocolate varieties the winner. 

I've also had the pleasure of reviewing Kathleen Kings cookbook. There are quite a few recipes inside that I have bookmarked already. All of the recipes are down to earth with readily available ingredients. When trying to figure out which one to bake first I was faced with quite a hard decision, but ended up picking the Toffee Pecan Cookies. They sounded perfect for the season and quite frankly, ended up being absolutely divine. My daughter, exclaimed that these cookies are so awesome you don't even miss the fact that they don't include chocolate, while my youngest proclaimed "now that is a good cookie, it tastes just like a cookie should", which is pretty much the highest compliment ever from a 9 year old boy ;o)

The cookie and cookbook review was made just a little sweeter since Tate's Bake Shop is also giving away the same cookie gift-pack and cookbook to one lucky reader. Keep them for yourself, or give them as a gift, the choice is yours.

*This Giveaway is Closed*

To enter the giveaway here is what you need to do (Please leave a SEPARATE comment for each entry):

To enter: Since 'tis the season, let me know your favorite cookie to eat or bake during the Holidays in the comments section

For Bonus Entries (again, please use separate comments):

• Like Tate's on facebook and let me know in the comments that you did
• Follow me on Google Friend connect and let me know that you do, or did
• Like Susi's Kochen und Backen Adventures on facebook and let me know that you do, or did
• Follow Susi's Kochen und Backen on Twitter @susiiscooking and let me know that you do, or   did
• Tweet about the giveaway yourself and let me know that you did

If you play along you can get up to 6 entries for this giveaway

• Giveaway is open to U.S. Residents only, no P.O. Boxes please
• Giveaway is open until Monday, December 13th at Midnight Pacific time
• I will pick a winner via Random.org and will announce the winner on Tuesday, December 14th

Also, Tate's Bake Shop has graciously offered a 15% off coupon for all of you readers through the 31st of December. All you have to do is enter the code "cookie" during check-out on their website

Toffee Pecan Cookies 

(Printable Version)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups instant quick oats
1 cup salted butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup pecans, chopped
2 cups toffee bits


Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease two cookie sheet or line them with Silpat (parchment paper will work as well).

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and oatmeal. Set it aside.

In another large bowl, cream the butter and sugars till creamy. Add the egg and mix well. Add the vanilla and mix. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again.

Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat them till they are combined. Don't overmix. Stir in the toffee bits and pecans.

Using two tablespoons, drop the cookie dough two inches apart onto prepared cookie sheet.

Bake them for 12 to 15 minutes for chewy cookies and 18 to 20 minutes for crunchy cookies. The crunchy cookies will be browner in the middle and firmer to the touch.

Adapted from: Tate's Bake Shop Cookbook

Iced Oatmeal Applesauce Cookies

With the beginning of the school year already looming over our heads (my three children go to year round school), lazy days are coming to an end for us. I'm already back into school mode with Meet the Teacher nights, schedules and organizing pick ups. This year will be a bittersweet one since it is our oldest's last year in high school. With all of this excitement ready to start here soon, it is important to have healthy snacks on hand since days can get very busy. 

I've mentioned before that my kids love eating fruits and vegetables, but like any kid, they also crave sweets like cookies. While we do have the occasional treat, most of the things I've made for the blog (with the exception of ice cream) has been given to friends, neighbors, and colleagues. There are only a few things that were gone so quickly I didn't have a chance to hand it out (like Nanaimo Bars).

While I was looking for a cookie recipe to make for the kids that would be sweet and treat like but with healthier ingredients and not too terribly high in fat and calories, I came across these Iced Applesauce Cookies in Martha Stewart's Cookies book. The recipe sounded promising, and after a few small modifications, I had a great cookie that was happily eaten by everyone.

To make it more appealing for my kids, I swapped the raisins for craisins since none of them care for the first that much.  I also reduced some of the sugar (they were still plenty sweet), and used all natural applesauce. I also exchanged some of the all purpose flour and replaced it with some whole wheat flour. The glaze for this cookie called for a whopping 1 3/4 cups of powdered sugar which I was able to scale back to only 1 cup along with 2 tablespoons of maple syrup. This still yielded more than enough glaze for all the cookies.

This is a great after school, on the go, or even lunchbox snack that I truly feel good about giving to my kids.

Iced Oatmeal Applesauce Cookies

(adapted from Martha Stewart's Cookies)

(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1 large eggs

1/2 cup all natural applesauce

1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup stone ground whole wheat flour (I used Bob's Red Mill)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup craisins

For the icing:

1 cup confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

1 tablespoon water

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Put butter and sugars in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until combined. Add egg and applesauce; mix until well blended, 2 to 3 minutes. Mix in oats, all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix in craisins.

Using a 1 1/2-inch ice cream scoop, drop dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake cookies until golden and just set, 13 to 15 minutes, rotating halfway through. Let cool ion sheets 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack set over parchment paper; let cool completely.

Make icing: Whisk confectioners' sugar, maple syrup, and water until smooth. Drizzle over cookies; let set. Cookies can be storied in single layers in airtight containers at room temperature up to 3 days. Yield: about 2 1/2 dozen

Black and White Cookies

I grew up with Black and White cookies or rather just white cookies. In Germany they were called "Amerikaner". Imagine my delight after moving to the East Coast and finding the same cookies I had loved so much as a child displayed at every bakery.

I've been looking for a good recipe for a while and when I finally found it inside my Martha Stewart: Cookies book I was thrilled. The recipe is quick, baking time is short, and frosting them is easy, even for a novice.  The only departure from the recipe is that I made the cookies "normal" sized, rather then the "mini" version which is what the book calls for. To do so, I used my large ice cream scoop which worked very well.

These cookies are soft and delicious and the chocolate and vanilla frosting are fitting toppings together. It was fun to watch my kids decide to eat either the chocolate or vanilla side first, but never take a bite that included both of the flavors at the same time. It is a fantastic, easy, kid friendly cookie that I will be making many more times.

I hope you'll give this one a try and your family will enjoy it as much as we did!

Black and White Cookies

~makes about 1 1/2 dozen cookies~

(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:
For the cookies:
 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup low-fat buttermilk

For the icing:
2 cups confectioners' sugar
 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon light corn syrup
2 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon water, plus more if needed
1 tablespoon unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.


Make cookies: Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt into a bowl.

Put butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add granulated sugar; mix until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in egg and vanilla. Mix in flour mixture in three batches, alternating with buttermilk.

Drop cookies with ice cream scoop (or rounded tablespoon) onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until bottoms turn golden, about 10 minutes. Let cool completely on sheets on wire racks.

Make icing: Whisk confectioners' sugar, corn syrup, lemon juice, vanilla, and the water in a small bowl until smooth. Add more water, if needed, to achieve a consistency slightly thicker than honey. Transfer half the icing to a small bowl. Stir in cocoa powder; thin with water if needed.

Spread white icing on half of each cookie's flat side and cocoa icing on other half. Let stand until set, 30 minutes. Cookies can be stored between layers of parchment in airtight containers at room temperature up to 3 days.

Adapted from: Martha Stewart

Orange Creamsicle Cookies

When I saw this recipe on several of the blogs I read I knew I had to give this one a go. Since my husband is a proclaimed chocolate hater, I'm always looking for good alternatives that he would enjoy as well. The cookie is a simple cookie with only a few ingredients but with the addition of freshly grated orange zest and white chocolate chips this sugar cookie is transformed into the orange vanilla childhood treat many of us grew up with - the orange creamsicle.

This cookie is made quickly with all the ingredients usually available in my house. The original recipe was from Guittard Chocolate and calls for such, but I made this with Ghirardelli white chocolate chips with equally wonderful results. Baking time is short (only 8 minutes) and the cookies are knocked out in no time. Fresh out of the oven they were divine. Crunchy on the outside and with a slight chew on the inside. Just how I like my cookies. 

These cookies were a big hit with my family and neighbors. In fact my husband has already requested them again and nothing pleases me more then food that he enjoys. Hope you will give this one a try, it is a winning combination!

Orange Creamsicle Cookies 
(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons fresh orange zest, grated
12 ounces white chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and creamy. Beat in egg and vanilla until smooth. Gradually add flour mixture until combined. Stir in orange zest and chocolate chips.

Drop rounded tablespoons (I use an ice cream scoop for this) onto parchment lined cookie sheets. Bake 8 - 10 minutes or until golden brown around edges. Cool for several minutes on cookie sheets before transferring to rack to cool completely. Store in airtight container.

Adapted from: Guittard

Gingered Carrot Cookies

For this weeks BWD: Baking with Dorie Challenge, it was Grapefruit's pick and she decided on Gingered Carrot Cookies on Page 162 in Dorie Greenspan's Baking: From my home to yours . 

When Grapefruit emailed me a while back about her pick I have to honestly admit that I wasn't thrilled. Ginger isn't my most favorite spice and after reading through the recipe and finding that it had raisins in it as well,  I decided right there and then I was not going to like this cookie. In fact I told my husband this one was going to be all his to take to work.

I guess I owe Grapefruit and Dorie Greenspan a giant apology. These cookies were anything but ordinary and they are in fact out of this world. My oldest child who hates raisins was scarfing these cookies down without complaint and needless to say my husband didn't get to take any of them to work.

The cookies are almost like a mini carrot cake minus most of the normal carrot cake spices. It only calls for ginger and a little bit of freshly grated nutmeg, but it is packed full of flavor with grated carrots (I shredded them), coconut, toasted pecans and raisins. My husband kept saying it was the most perfect mix of flavors that keeps you wanting more and more.

The cookie dough is pretty simple with butter, sugar, egg, vanilla and a flour mixture, but by adding all these other wonderful ingredients it takes the cookie from ordinary to extraordinary. One thing I was really glad to have with this cookie is my trusty Kitchen Aid stand mixer. Without it I think you either need some serious muscles or hope your motor won't burn out on a little hand mixer as the dough gets really dense towards the end.

Baking time for these cookies was spot on for me and as always, Dorie's instructions are precise and easy to follow. Fresh out of the oven the cookie had a nice crunch with a soft interior probably due to minimal spreading during baking, but even the next day which turned the cookie more "chewy" overall it was still good. This cookie now has a permanent spot in my cookie file and will be made many more times in the future. So thank you Grapefruit for picking this cookie and thank you Dorie for inventing it. This cookie has easily made it into my top 20 all time favorite cookies.

Check out Grapefruit's page for the recipe and Elizabeth's page to see what they thought about this cookie and what new and interesting things they came up with.

For our next BWD in two weeks (the 12th of April) it is Grapefruit's pick yet again with Lots-of-Ways Banana Cake on Page 204 and 205. So if any of this has peeked your interest and you want to join the fun with us next time, just shoot me or Grapefruit an email and we'd be more than happy to have you.

Honey Wheat Cookies

 

In my attempts to try out new and different recipes, I came across this one in the Baking: From My Home to Yours. This cookie sounded unlike anything we have had before and was definitely a departure from your "average" chocolate chip or peanut butter cookie. Everyone was pleasantly surprised by this one.

I think it is a "grown up" cookie that is sophisticated in its flavors, but still pleasing enough for kids to enjoy. The subtle tastes of lemon and honey dominate this cookie while the wheat germ adds a pleasing crunch. 

The cookie dough comes together in no time. You pretty much fix it, wrap it up, and set it in your fridge until you are ready to bake . After the dough has chilled for a couple of hours you roll it into balls, which are then coated in more wheat germ before putting them on a parchment lined baking sheet were you flatten them out.

This cookies taste even better with a good cup of coffee or tea. Give them a try and let me know what you think!

 

Chocolate Chip Cookies 3-Ways

 

Everyone has to have a "go-to" Chocolate Chip cookie recipe. It doesn't matter what age you are, there is nothing better then a tall glass of milk along with a freshly baked cookie. My cookie recipe is a fairly basic one that always delivers the perfect combination of crunch and chew. This time though I decided to "play" around and add my own touches to it. There are 3 cookies : Coconut-Cranberry-Chocolate Chip, Espresso Chocolate Chip and of course the old favorite Chocolate Chip. I had my taste tester Lukas give them all a big thumbs up!

Chocolate Chip Cookies 3-Ways

(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup white sugar

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1 (11.5 ounce) package Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Chips

1 cup chopped Walnuts

1 packet Starbucks Via Ready Brew Italian Roast (extra bold)

1/2 cup sweetened Coconut

1/4 cup Craisins Cranberries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in medium bowl and give it a good whisk to get any lumps out.  

Beat butter, white sugar, light brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy and light in color. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. 

Gradually beat flour into the butter/sugar/egg mixture.

Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.

Divide dough into thirds.

Add the Starbucks Via to one third.

Add coconut and cranberries to another third.

And the final third of dough will stay as is.

Drop the dough by rounded tablespoons onto a parchment lined cookie sheet .

Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheet for a couple of minutes and then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool.

Coconut-Cranberry Chocolate Chip

Espresso Chocolate Chip

Chocolate Chip

Tips for Great Cookies:

• I always line my cookie sheets with Parchment paper, even if they are non-stick
• In order to prevent over-salting my cookies I like to use unsalted butter
• I let all my ingredients  come to room temperature before starting to bake
• Invest in good quality ingredients. If I spent the time, I want to have the best possible end product.
• A good chocolate or chocolate chip is a must. The cookies can be made with any kind of chocolate chip but in my opinion with a darker chocolate the cookies don't get over powered with sweetness. There are a lot of brands of chocolate out there. You can go VERY wrong with cheap chocolate. I found that Ghirardelli or even Lindt Chocolate (chopped by hand) provide the best flavor without breaking your pocket book
• Buy an Ice Cream Scoop, it will produce uniform cookies every time
• And most of all, have lots of milk on hand. Trust me, you'll need it ;o)