Flourless Chocolate Cookies

Dear Audra of The Baker Chick,
WTF.  I can't handle how good these are.
THESE ARE SO GOOD.

You all know how much I love chocolate.  I will ALWAYS pick a chocolate driven dessert over something else.  The more of it the better.  And these cookies - they have SO MUCH chocolaty goodness.  With minimal, simple ingredients and NO butter, oil, egg yolks or flour (they're healthy!) I would like to proclaim these cookies as MAGIC.  And definitely opt for the "optional" sea salt topping, you won't regret it.  The chewiness of the rich chocolate cookie paired with the salt give them a hint of caramel flavor, I don't know how.  See what I mean?  Magic.  

Thank you Baker Chick!  (If you missed link above, recipe here.)  

"THE Chocolate Chip Cookie"

It might be absurd how many chocolate chip cookies I've baked on this blog.  MIGHT, because then again, can a painter use TOO many shades of blue to depict our lovely sky?  Are there TOO many ways to arrange musical notes to create a beautiful song??  Do you see what I'm getting at?!  Cookies are art, and they should be expressed in as many ways as possible.  I am merely playing the role of artist (say that like you're a French person), and the oven is my instrument.  The chocolate chip is my voice and the... okay I'll stop now.  

I'm basically trying to justify my behavior by making myself sound sophisticated.  

What happens is, when I read that someone has found THE chocolate chip cookie, I have to try it.  Which is exactly what I did yesterday.  This cookie was described as "unbelievably chewy" and "the perfect softness."  But what really stirred my interest was the addition of cornstarch.  Two teaspoons, claiming to give the cookies an "unbelievable lift."  

I'm not sure about the lift (mine were the perfect thickness - but I also like to press my cookies down slightly before baking them), but this cookie was pretty incredible.  Definitely soft and unbelievably chewy - with that crackled exterior I love in a cookie.  You should try them (recipe linked above), and then while you're at it... try some of my other favorite chocolate chip cookies I've made on this blog:
       

Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies

Maple Chocolate Chip Cookies

Brown Butter Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Saveur's Layered Chocolate Chip Cookies

Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Cookies

Strawberry Cake Batter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies

Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate Chip Snickerdoodles

Chocolate Yogurt Bundt Cake

I am a very picky chocolate cake eater.  If it's dry, or too bread-like, well then… no.  NO!  It must be moist, not overly sweet but not overly bitter and VERY chocolaty.  Chocolate chips and/or chocolate icing are a bonus.  I become irrationally nervous when I try out a new recipe, as I was yesterday, but I found one that DID NOT disappoint!  I used this recipe with several adaptions: brewed coffee instead of water, whole milk plain yogurt instead of sour cream, no glaze - but I did add a bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips to the batter.  It came out better than I could have imagined, to the point where I cannot stop eating it.  I keep pretending that I'm British and that it's tea time and that I should accompany my tea with cake.  I don't drink tea.  I just eat cake, a lot.  

Vanilla Bean Blondies

Greetings!!  Remember when I used to blog, every single weekday?  Remember when I didn't have two children, and I showered more than twice a week, and I worked out more than twice a year?  I remember.  Sort of.  Not really.  Or even at all.  The truth is, I could blame my kids all day long for my lack of posts and showers (no but really, the shower thing IS their fault), but that wouldn't be fair.  The truth is, we're going through a major life change as a family (which I'll share more at a later date) and my mind has been elsewhere.  That, combined with lots of travel, have meant I've barely been in the kitchen!  And now that I am back, it's like I've forgotten how to cook.  What do I like to make?  What ingredients do I buy at the market?  Are there breakfast foods besides NY bagels?  

But don't fret.  I'll figure it out.  I'll cook my way out of the hole.  I'll shower.  I made these Vanilla Bean Blondies after all!  Half with chocolate, because, chocolate.  The vanilla flavor is pretty ridiculous, they taste like vanilla ice cream in bar form.  Simple, easy ingredients that come together in no time.  I used 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla paste instead of a bean, because that's what I had.  

I'm going to shower now, I promise.          

See what I mean?  Mind, elsewhere.

Holiday treats from long ago...

Some ideas for last minute holiday baking (6 more days people)...

Nutella Truffles

Peppermint Marshmallows

Chewy Ginger Cookies

Bittersweet Chocolate Fudge with Sea Salt

Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies

Cranberry Pistachio Pudding Cookies

Peppermint Meringues

Homemade Almond Roca

Homemade Hot Chocolate

On another note, I don't have nearly enough photos from you guys for the contest.  Should I extend the deadline by a week, so you can get all toasted and goofy with your friends and family over Christmas?  Otherwise I'm just keeping this $120 basket for myself : )

UPDATE:  I have extended the deadline to submit photos to NEXT Friday, 12/27, so by all means, drink some spiked egg nog with your loved ones and eat some pasta.  

Andes Mint Brownies

Let's keep talking about chocolate and mint, shall we?  I always love the combination, but especially this time of year.  I've even been ordering Peppermint Mochas at Starbucks.  Who am I?  I would never do that any other time of year.  I'm not even sure I like them!  I just want a couple of sips, to savor that chocolaty, minty combo.  Which is why I bought Andes Mints at the market the other day and instantly researched recipes.  I knew this one was the winner, because brownies should be more of a consistent thing in my life.  Don't you think?  They are wonderful... fudgy, gooey, very rich.  The only thing I did differently was add regular semi-sweet chocolate chips to the top, instead of more mints.  I ran my knife through the brownies before the chocolate on top cooled, to make it easier later on.  

Reminder, only a few more days to submit photos for the contest!        

Brown Butter Salted Sugar Cookies

Apparently I'm a huge fan of brown butter (see below), so when I found this recipe, well, you know the drill.  Basically, I started browning the butter before checking to see if I had any of the other ingredients.  Oh, but who am I kidding.  Am I ever out of cookie ingredients?  I currently have 7 bags of chocolate chips, so... yeah.  These are UNREAL.  The nutty brown butter paired with the sea salt is something else, and the cookie itself is perfectly chewy with a crisp exterior.  I rolled my dough into balls and then flattened them with a soup can to make them look PERFECT.  Because they should look how they taste, don't you think?  More brown butter...  

Brown Butter Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Brown Butter and Sea Salt Chocolate Chip Cookies

Salted Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treats

Brown Butter Peanut Butter Cookies

Banana Bars with Brown Butter Icing

and...

Fried Pumpkin Ravioli with Brown Butter Sauce

Mini Pecan Cake with Maple Buttercream Frosting

Hello People!  The Milly & Grace Giveaway is off to a great start.  I'm loving all of your comments about what you would purchase, and now I want everything that you want.  Thanks for that.  You should know, by the way, that all clothing is 30% off right now with free shipping... get on that.   

So I promised you I would display something on my new cake stand.  Well, remember the gloriousness of this mini cake?  Yesterday I followed the same recipe, but threw in a tablespoon of toasted, chopped pecans.  Then I made a simple buttercream consisting of 3/4 cup powdered sugar, 3 T softened butter, a splash of cream and a splash of maple syrup.  A perfect individual cake for an autumn evening.  You should put on some sweats, cuddle with your cat, and eat it slowly while staring softly into space...   

Brown Sugar Apple Cookies

I have been ignoring you.  I'm sorry, you don't need to yell!  Listen up, my little brother is GETTING MARRIED this weekend!  The little brother of Sirious Sips, by the way, whatever happened to those?  Anyway, my focus has been elsewhere.  But yesterday, my focus was on making a scrumptious fall cookie, and you should totally use the word "scrumptious" more often.  No seriously, try saying it out loud, right now.  Scrumptious!  Doesn't it make you feel joyful?  I found this recipe for Brown Sugar Cookies and I thought, why not add some apples?!  Two peeled, diced Honeycrisp apples to be specific.  I also added 1/2 tsp of vanilla to the recipe and a cup of oatmeal.  I had EVERY intention of drizzling caramel on top and sprinkling them with sea salt (Salted Caramel Apple Cookie anyone??) but my focus faltered.  YOU'RE YELLING AT ME AGAIN.  They were delicious on their own.  

Scrumptious!  

Gender Reveal Cupcakes

Are you familiar with 'Gender Reveal Parties'??  They are all the rage these days, and remind me never to say "all the rage" again because it makes me sound ancient.  Anyhoo (ancient-er), if you are not hip to the Gender Reveal (oh dear god), then let me give you the 411 (make it stop): it's a party where an expecting couple reveal the sex of their baby to friends and family (and many times themselves) in a fun manner, like cutting into a cake or biting into a cupcake that's pink or blue inside.  Well, I was not only recently invited to one for my dear friends, Beth and Brad, but they asked me to bake the cupcakes!  And in this instance, they didn't know the sex either.  Their doctor wrote it down, sealed it in an envelope and gave it to me!  Talk about your head exploding with knowledge that you can't share with anyone, oy.  In full disclosure, I told my four-year-old son, Jack.  And he probably told a couple of buddies at school.  And they were like, "meh."  

    But, I was able to keep the secret, and I didn't even play a prank and swap genders like Carson wanted me to.  I had never baked stuffed cupcakes before, and decided to go for a homemade Hostess Cupcake following this recipe.  Every part of it was perfect.  Super moist, chocolaty cake, a sweet and fluffy marshmallow cream center and topped with a rich, chocolate ganache.  My kind of dessert.  I used a paring knife to core out the cupcakes, which was time-consuming but very easy.  And I used a freezer bag with the end snipped off to fill the centers wiiiiith... BLUE icing : )   

The happy couple...

Congrats Beth and Brad!  I can't wait to meet this sweet baby boy.  

(All images by Katy at Chasing You Photo)

Monster Eyeball Cookies

My daughter has been waking up at 5am this week, which is fun, because then we can bond while I'm super grumpy.  She also knows what "Mama, Coffee, HOT" means, so there's that.  And I've had a chance to get my blog posts up on the early side.  Morning Celebration!  Anyways, remember these Mini Candy Corn Sugar Cookies?  I've been pretty obsessed with the recipe since discovering it.  The dough comes together in a matter of minutes (I usually double it), it's easy to work with, it freezes well, and the creative possibilities are endless (think every holiday).  This go around, I added a small amount of green food coloring to the dough before adding the flour, and then topped each baked cookie with eyeball sprinkles.  Jack and I wanted to make faces on a few of them, so we melted chocolate chips and used a plastic baggie with the end snipped off to create silly, scary monsters... 

Ok those aren't scary at all.  Can you believe Halloween is less than a week away?  Good thing my son has 3 costumes he can't decide between!  If you feel like getting festive and domestic this weekend, check out the homemade candy I've made in the past.  And don't forget these Butterfingers!

Weekend!  

Brown Butter Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Have I ever told you about how I hate Pumpkin Pie?  I hate it, really I do. 

I haven't even tried a piece since I was probably 9 years old, and I won't try it.  You probably think you can get me to eat a bite, but you're wrong.  I will run away from you and your bite, like a bat out of hell.  But the weird thing is... I like pumpkin bread, and pumpkin bars, and pumpkin ravioli, cheesecake, seeds, cookies, etc.  Just get away from me, Pumpkin Pie.  Get far, far away.

Back to me liking pumpkin other things, like cookies.  I decided to make up a recipe on Thursday and I think I did good.  All the autumn-y pumpkin flavor that I love, in the consistency of a cookie (not pie).  I brown butter all year long, but there's something extra special about the nuttiness the flavor offers in autumn time.  I added chocolate chips, because I do that to everything, but white chocolate chips would also be lovely.  If you only have all-purpose flour, that will be fine, but I love what the combination of bread flour and cake flour does for cookies.  They help to provide a chewy interior with a crackly exterior.  Be warned: this dough is sticky, so it's important to refrigerate it for as long as possible, preferably overnight.  But it will be worth the wait.  Happy Fall Without Pumpkin Pie, everyone!    

Brown Butter Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

(Makes approx. 2 dozen)

Printable Recipe

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups bread flour

3/4 cup cake flour

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp all spice

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1 pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips (or white)

In a small pot, brown butter over medium low heat.  This takes some time, but if you turn the heat too high the butter will burn.  Once it's foams, turns brown and starts to smell nutty - it's ready.  Remove from heat and let cool.  In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together both flours, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, all spice, nutmeg and cloves.  Set aside.  In a large bowl, beat together with an electric mixer both sugars with browned butter.  Add eggs, one at a time, mixing in between.  Add pumpkin and vanilla and mix until fully combined.  Slowly add in dry ingredients and mix until just combined.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Cover and refrigerate overnight (or at least an hour).  When ready to bake, remove dough from fridge and preheat oven to 350.  Place rounded spoonfuls (I use an ice cream scooper) on a parchment-lined baking sheet.  Bake for 10 minutes.       

More Pumpkin on SD:

Vegan Pumpkin Muffins

Fried Pumpkin Ravioli

Pumpkin Bread

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Squares

Pumpkin Seeds

Carmelitas

When I asked you what I should bake in my new oven, you had good ideas.  You are smart, brilliant people.  Especially you, Person Who Recommended These Carmelitas.  You are a damn genius!  You should quit your job, and become a Treat Email Recommender.  That's a real thing.  I'll pay you in Monopoly money and baked goods.  Speaking of paying people, my son got a dollar for unwrapping 32 caramel squares.  A dollar, and one caramel.  I bribe my kids.  

Anyway, let me be very clear about this: MAKE THESE.  They are crack bars.  I even made a corner without chocolate for my friend who's allergic, and they were still wonderful.  Also, I bet you could make your own homemade salted caramel sauce instead of paying someone to unwrap 32 squares.  We're all geniuses!!        

first layer...

second layer...

Polka Dot Cake

You guys, my baby turns 1 in a week.  I have a 1 year-old and a 4 year-old, excuse me, 4 AND A HALF year old (that's very important to include these days, apparently).  Time to sob in a corner, buy more anti-aging cream and bake some birthday cake.  Which is only my favorite thing to do in the world (bake, that is, I hate skin care).  Let me refresh your memory with Jack's first birthday, his second, his third and his fourth.  See?  I obsess.  This birthday was no different.  A friend showed me this Polka Dot Cake recipe probably 6 months ago and it was decided.  Done!  I knew little Etta Bo Betta would be smashing her face in polka dots by the time she turned one.  While that is still a week away, I made this cake for a small family gathering last night and it was a success!  Fairly simple, not overly time-consuming, and it yields fantastic results.  I used a store-bought cake mix for the cake balls and bought this (oh, I think I just might use it again), I used this recipe for the actual cake, and made my buttercream seen here.  With the leftover balls, I decorated the bottom of the cake and also I ate them.  

Happy 1st Birthday to my spunky little tiger, we love you : )         

Balls!

White cake batter...

Little Avenger helping out...

It's the whole family!  Etta wants out.

Bye bye balls...

And hello again!  

(I've heard freezing the balls helps them to not rise to the surface during baking, but in the end it didn't really matter much.) 

Frosting and layering...

Polka Dot Party!

Even her baby book matches which was a total accident.  

My breakfast...