Sunday, February 6, 2011

bad luck with cookies

Do you like how I sneak in a picture of my darling pajama-wearing boy when the post is actually supposed to be about the cookies?
I've been making cookies since I was in middle school. And helping my mom make cookies since even before then.
I thought I was pretty good at it.
But the last five times I've made them, 
something has gone terribly awry.  

Sure, they taste okay,
but they're spongey, crumbly, fall-apart little round messes.
It happened to my gingersnaps, to my oatmeal scotchies, and to my chocolate chip cookies.

I would blame it on my oven, or my ingredients,
but then Kent finds a recipe online (which he never bookmarks or saves) and his cookies turn out perfect.
Every time.

What's the deal?

So, I need your help.
I need a good recipe for chocolate chip cookies-
the recipe you make over and over and over again.
The one that works for you.

First, though, I must tell you.
I like my chocolate chip cookies to be thick, substantial, chewy, soft.

Not like this:


http://www.chow.com/galleries/14/chocolate-desserts/153/crisp-chocolate-chip-cookies
Rather, like this:
http://jaimeerose.com/?p=21
So, if you have a recipe that you think I should try, either leave it in the comments, or you can send it to my email:
rebecca.w.andersen at gmail.com


I will try every recipe that I am sent,
and the person who sends the recipe that I like best (or perhaps the one that I don't ruin somehow)
will be the winner of their very own copy of 

This book
(referenced in my last post-seriously one of my favorite books ever-inspiring, encouraging; every time I read it I find more reasons to love motherhood, even on the days where I feel like I'm "in the trenches.")
and 
well...a little bonus surprise.

You have until Wednesday Tuesday at noon to get me your recipe.
I don't know how long it will take me to test the recipes, but I promise I will try every last one.  I'm really getting tired of these sponge cookies.
Here's to hoping my cookie-making skills can be rescued!




Post script:  Wow! I had no idea I would get so much feedback. I've gotten numerous emails, facebook messages, and comments.  It's great!  At this rate, though, I'm going to be making chocolate chip cookies until June.  Which isn't really a bad thing...  So, keep them coming until tomorrow, and then I'll start the baking!


8 comments:

Mariley Johnson said...

My favorite recipe is on the back of the Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips. They are a little on the thinner side, but still delicious. I can't wait to find out your best choice.

Shannon b said...

Well, I have a recipe for "The World's Best Chocolate Chip Cookies", but my friend made me swear I'd never pass it on. It was tough getting a copy for myself. :) I second Mariley's comment on the ghirardelli cookies -- I make those and enjoy them very much.
but . . . . here's another recipe. These have just a little PB in them, which makes them super yummy but not too peanut buttery.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Cream together -
3/4 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar

Add to bowl & mix -
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla

In a separate bowl combine -
2 1/2 - 3 cups flour
1 tsp. baking sodaa
1/2 tsp. salt

Add dry ingredients to wet. Mix well. Add 1 pkg. chocolate chips (I would always choose milk chocolate chips).

Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.

Jamie Blake said...

Alrighty, here's mine! We love these, even though they require a few extra steps than normal, like blending the oatmeal and grating a chocolate bar (which I just blend in the blender too).

"Nieman Marcus Million Dollar Cookies"

2 c. sugar
4 sticks butter
2 c. light brown sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
4 c. all-purpose flour
5 c. ground oatmeal (grind in blender)
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
24 oz. chocolate chips
8 oz. Hershey bar, grated
3 c. chopped nuts (optional)

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars. Add eggs, vanilla and mix well. Add flour, ground oatmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix thoroughly. Add chips, grated Hershey bar, and nuts. Roll into 3 inch or 4 inch balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheets and bake at 375 degrees for 6 to 10 minutes. Dough can be kept in refrigerator and baked at different times as needed.

-PS I usually half this recipe . . . it makes a lot!

Julie said...

I have the same problem when I make chocolate chip cookies. But I found this recipe that worked for me and they were very yummy! I love this site, everything I have made from it has been so good!

http://sisterscafe.blogspot.com/2010/03/melanies-famous-chocolate-chip-cookies.html

Teresa said...

I have a chocolate chip recipe I use all the time....but no recipe...just do it by how it looks....Kent knows which on I'm taking about....it has oats, chocolate chips, brown sugar, white sugar, butter etc.
sorry

Sharlee said...

Here's my favorite recipe. I've been commenting a lot lately and I almost didn't want to for that reason but I have an easy recipe that I love that's just too easy to not share.
Cream 1 1/2 sticks butter with 1/2 cup white sugar and 3/4 cup packed brown sugar. Beat in 2 eggs and 1 tsp vanilla. Sift together 2 cups flour, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp soda--add to creamed butter/sugar mixture. Add 1 small package of vanilla instant pudding mix. Add 1 cup or more: ) choc chips. Bake 10-12 min at 350. The secret is the pudding mix. Zach's mom makes them and I love them.

The Tibbitts said...

I may be too late, but I had to comment anyways even if I don't qualify for the contest. I have never in my life been able to make chocolate chip cookies turn out until I found the recipe on the back of the Nestle Tollhouse Semi-sweet chocolate chips when we moved to Virginia. They turn out so yummy every time and they are super easy and don't seem too fatty. If you have trouble finding the recipe, let me know and I will email it to you. Good luck!

Libby said...

I had the same problem when we moved too. I just started adding a 1/4 cup more flour to every recipe and now they turn out fine.