We are introduced, at an early age, to the sweet wondernous of a cookie. From teething cookies to soothe the swollen aching gums of incoming incisors, onto animal crackers purchased in rectangular-shaped boxes bearing a string handle for easy toting by little fingers. Deciding which part of the animal should be eaten first-the trunk of the elephant or the tail of a lion-depended on how hungry one was. Savor each and every one or simply gobble them down as fast as possible.

My next cookie memory would be the ever famous, possibly all-time favorite, the chocolate chip cookie. There is nothing better than to bite into a round circle of baked dough sprinkled with gooey melt-in-your-mouth chocolate. A chocolate chip cookie can dry tears, heal broken hearts, mend scraped knees and elbows and solve sibling arguments. Most of the problems in the world could likely be solved by a properly baked, right out of the oven, chocolate chip cookie. The power of a cookie is underestimated.

I will attempt in the next 365 days to prepare and comment on a year’s worth of different cookies-one for each day. My goal is to share with others my extreme love of cookies-baking them and especially eating them! Feel free to send me your favorite recipe, your earliest cookie memories, or how cookies may have influenced your life. Cookies Rule!


Monday, June 14, 2010

Cookie Recipe #163 - Chocolate Mint Cookies


A soft chocolate cookie filled with mint-flavored chocolate chips and mint extract for even more mintiness. Instead of using mint-flavored chips I used Andes mints, broke into pieces.

Ingredients: 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed, 2/3 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup butter, softened, 3 large eggs, 1 teaspoon pure mint extract, 1 3/4 cups (10 ounces)mint chocolate chips, 1/2 cup vanilla chips (optional).

Instructions: Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine flour, soda, salt, and cocoa. Mix well with a wire whisk and set aside.

In a large bowl, blend sugars and butter beating to form a grainy paste. Add eggs and mint extract beating until light and fluffy.

Add the flour mixture and blend at low speed just until combined; do not overmix. Fold in chocolate chips.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets, 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake for 16-18 minutes until set. Immediately transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

If desired, melt 1/2 cup vanilla chips in resealable storage bag in microwave for 1-2 minutes. After first minute, press on bag to test softness of chips; if chunks remain, heat another minute, or until chips are completely melted when pressed. Snip off small section of one corner of bag and squeeze contents on each cookie in desired pattern.

Makes 4 dozen cookies.

"Mrs. Fields Cookie Book", Debbie Fields, The Time Inc. Book Company, Alexandria, VA, 1992.

Cookies Rule!!!

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