Fudgy Chocolate Cookies

My need for chocolate this week was out of control.  Thank goodness I had all the ingredients on hand to make these cookies.

I have been thinking about making the perfect chocolate cookie for a while lately after seeing pictures of these from Levain.  I think if I tripled the size of my scoop, mine would have looked the same.  But, that size cookie is just plain dangerous. So I didn't go there.  

The secret to making these cookies fabulous is melted chocolate chips in the batter.  They turn out tasting so fudgy and rich.  They really were ridiculously good.  I made one batch with peanut butter chips and one with white chocolate chips.  Both were amazing...whatever you prefer will work!

Fudgy Chocolate Cookies

Makes 3 dozen 2 1/2" cookies

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups white sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups all purpose flour

2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups peanut butter chips or white chocolate chips

Directions

In a large bowl beat butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until light and fluffy.  Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in separate bowl and whisk together.  With the mixer on low, slowly pour flour mixture into butter mixture.  Beat until well combined.

Pour semi-sweet chocolate chips into a microwave safe bowl.  Microwave for 30 seconds and stir, repeat.  Chocolate should be completely melted.  Let cool a few minutes and then stir into batter. Stir in peanut butter or white chocolate chips.  Chill in refrigerator for at least an hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Scoop tablespoon or so of dough and roll with hands.  Drop onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or non stick baking mat.  Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.  Do not overbake.  Cool slightly on the tray before moving to a cooling rack.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

September meant back to work.  Which apparently was a big interruption to posting recipes.  I have so many great fall recipes to bake up that I decided I needed to get back here.  I made these cupcakes weeks ago for my friends birthday.  They are quite tasty.  I pretty much like anything with cream cheese frosting, and who can resist anything with the deep red hue of red velvet?

This is the perfect basic red velvet recipe.  The cake is very flavorful but not heavy, and light enough to balance out the rich, creamy frosting.

Red Velvet Cupcakes
From The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook


Makes about 20 cupcakes

Ingredients
4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons red food coloring
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Turn he mixer up to high speed, slowly add the egg and beat until well incorporated.

In a separate bowl, mix together cocoa, red food coloring, and vanilla to make a thick paste.  Add to the butter mixture and mix until well combined and colored evenly. Turn the mixer to low speed and pour in half the buttermilk.  Beat until well mixed and then add half the flour.  Beat until well incorporated.  Repeat the process with the other half of buttermilk and flour.  Then turn the mixer to high and beat until the batter is smooth.  Turn the mixer to low and add the salt, baking soda and vinegar.  Beat until incorporated then turn the mixer to high speed and beat for a couple more minutes.

Spoon the batter into lined cupcake tin until two-thirds full.  Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.  Let cool in pan for a few minutes then transfer to a wire rack.

Once completely cool, frost with Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe below).

Cream Cheese Frosting


Ingredients
4 2/3 cup powdered sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
8 oz. cold cream cheese

Direction
Beat the powdered sugar and butter together on medium low speed until the mixture comes together and is well mixed.  Add the cream cheese and beat until fully incorporated.  Turn the mixer up to medium-high speed and continue beating until the frosting is light and fluffy, at least 5 minutes.  Do not overbeat or it will become runny.

Double-Double Brownies

I don't know anyone who does not like  love peanut butter and chocolate.  It is heavenly and sinful at the same time.  You could put anything with those two ingredients in front of me and I would lick the plate clean.  One of my best friends from childhood just moved to my area so I made a batch of these for her and took them over last night.  When I went by today, there was ONE left! ONE! Thats how good they are.

It may seem a bit amateur to use a brownie mix, but trust me, this one is better than homemade.  It is fudgy and rich... just the way I like them. 

You could say brownies are "my thing".  I would choose them over anything else.  And, I've made a lot of brownies.  This one wins my vote, hands down.  Especially with the addition of extra chocolate chips! And, its a heck of a lot easier than measuring all the ingredients.

                          

These are "Double-Double" Brownies because they have double the peanut butter and double the chocolate.  It takes the brownies to the next level. Its a pretty easy recipe too. You simply make the chocolate batter and add peanut butter chips, make the peanut butter batter and add chocolate chips and layer and dollop them together, then swirl. It's easy, I promise! Try these today!

 

                                                

Double-Double Brownies

Adapted from Fake Ginger and Ezra Pound Cake

Makes 16 brownies

Ingredients

Batter:

1 box brownie mix, prepared according to directions

3/4 cup peanut butter chips

PB Filling:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/2 cup confectioners sugar

3/4 cup smooth natural peanut butter

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2  cup chocolate chips, semi-sweet or milk chocolate will do

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line 8x8 or 9x9 baking pan with parchment paper.

Prepare brownie batter according to direction on package, or make your favorite brownie batter from scratch.  Add peanut butter chips and stir to combine.

Prepare peanut butter filing by stirring together melted butter, confectioners sugar, peanut butter, salt and vanilla.  Once combined, stir in chocolate chips.

Pour half of the brownie batter into prepared pan.   Dollop half of the peanut butter filling by the tablespoon over the batter.  Pour the remaining half of the brownie batter over top and spread to fill pan.  Dollap remaining half of the peanut butter filling over top. Swirl peanut butter batter into filling with a butter knife going lengthwise and crosswise.  

Bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Let cool in pan for 15 minutes, then lift out and place on wire rack to cool completely.  Once cool, cut into 16 squares.

Triple Threat Cookies

These cookies are a combination of my three favorite cookies-- chocolate chip, oatmeal chocolate chip and peanut butter, hence the name "Triple Threat".  I often can not decide which of my favorite cookies to make, so this is the perfect recipe for me.  I made these to bring to my Aunt's house and my boyfriend ended up eating half of them! 

This recipe comes from BrownEyedBaker.  She has some excellent recipes, and this one is a must try! The only changes I made to her recipe were that I refrigerated the dough for 24 hours before baking.  I did this mostly because of timing, but it is also supposed to make flavors come together better and it kept the cookies nice and plump instead of flattening out when baked. 

Triple Threat Cookies

Makes 20-24 cookies

Ingredients 

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

1/2 creamy natural peanut butter

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg

1/2 cup old fashioned oats

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

Whisk together flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl and set aside.

Cream together butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract on medium speed for about 3 minutes.  Add the egg and beat to combine. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add in the flour and mix until combined.  Stir in the oats and the chocolate chips

Refrigerate the dough overnight or for up to 24 hours.

Scoop the dough with a medium cookie scoop (about two tablespoons) onto parchment lined baking sheet about two inches apart.  Bake for 10 minutes until golden brown.  Let cool for a few minutes on baking sheet then move to a wire rack.  Store in an airtight container.

Enjoy!