Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Oatmeal Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is the chocolate chip cookie recipe I use. It is based on the "Everybody-Loves-Chocolate-Chip Cookies" recipe in the Better Homes and Gardens Cookies for Kids cookbook. I added instant oats to the recipe and replaced part of the white flour with wheat flour. I think the wheat flour and oats give the cookies a nutty flavor even if there are no nuts in the cookies. I always use butter when I make these cookies.

For variety, use a different type of baking chip or a combination of chips. On Saturday, I made a regular batch for my daughter to share with her winter guard team. I used semi-sweet chocolate chips, chopped up Wilton Candy Cane Colorburst Melts, and Holiday Mint M&M's. in the batch I sent to my son who is taking the first part of the CPA exam on Friday,

This recipe make about 4 dozen 2" cookies or 3 dozen 3" cookies. Note the different bake times in the recipe.

Brown Sugar

Brown sugar should be firmly packed in the cup when measuring it.

Pinch

A pinch is just a little bit or about 1/8 a teaspoon

Ingredients
1/2CupButter, 1 stick
1/2CupVegetable shortening
1CupBrown sugar
1/2CupSugar
2Eggs
1 1/2TspsVanilla
1TspBaking soda
PinchSalt
1/2CupInstant oats
1CupWheat flour
1 1/2CupsWhite flour
1CupChocolate chips
1/2CupNuts, chopped, or extra chocolate chips
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Using an electric mixer, cream together butter, shortening, brown sugar, and sugar. Beat until light and fluffy.
  3. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat until blended.
  4. Add pinch of salt, baking soda, and oats to creamed mixture. Mix well.
  5. Mix in wheat flour.
  6. Mix in white flour.
  7. Batter is stiff. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts by hand.
    Cookie Batter
  8. For 2" cookies, rolls balls about 1 1/4" in diameter and place on baking sheets. For 3" cookies, roll balls about 1 1/2" in diameter. I bake 12 cookies on a AirBake cookie sheet.
    Cookies on Trap
  9. Bake 2" cookies about 10-12 minutes and 3" cookies, 12-14 minutes.
  10. Immediately remove from pan.
    Baked 2" Cookies

Saturday, February 8, 2014

Cinnamon Nut Coffee Cake

Cinnamon Nut Coffee Cake

When I was growing up, my mom occasionally made Bisquick Streusel Coffee Cake for a breakfast treat. Since I usually do not have Bisquick, I was happy to find a similar Coffee Cake recipe in the February 2001 issue of Family Fun magazine.

I altered my version by using part wheat flour and adding an extra tablespoon of butter in the batter. In the topping, I reduced the cinnamon and added nutmeg. I also increased the baking time since my cake takes 40 to 45 minutes to bake versus the 25 to 30 in the original recipe.

Ingredients
1 1/3 CupsWhite flour
2/3 CupWheat flour
1 TspBaking powder
1/2 TspBaking soda
1/2 TspSalt
3/4 CupSugar
2 TbspsMelted butter
1 Egg, room temperature
1 1/2 CupsButtermilk
Topping
1/3 CupBrown sugar
1/2 CupChopped nuts (pecans or walnuts)
1 TspGround cinnamon
1/4 TspGround nutmeg
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease and flour a 9-inch cake pan.
  2. In a medium-sized bowl, mix brown sugar, chopped nuts, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, mix white flour, wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar.
  4. In a medium-sized bowl, mix melted butter, egg, and buttermilk.
  5. Add the buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients and stir to mix. Pour the batter into the cake pan.
  6. Sprinkle topping evenly over batter. Press topping gently into batter so that it is moist. If the topping is too dry, it crumbles off the cake. If desired, run a knife through the batter and topping to get a swirl effect.
  7. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean.