#57. Elaine Blass's Chocolate Chip Cookies

For my last cookie recipe, I decided to come full circle and honor the person who taught me how to make cookies in the first place and the cookie recipe that launched my fascination with round baked goods.

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

• 1 cup brown sugar

• 1/4 cup white sugar

• 2 eggs

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• 2 1/4 cups flour

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, preferably Toll House

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, cream butter, browner sugar, and white sugar using a hand-held mixer.

3. Add in eggs, then vanilla extract. Set aside.

4. In a separate bowl, combine flour and baking soda.

5. Gradually beat in dry ingredient mixture into wet ingredients.

6. Using a spatula, add in chocolate chips.

7. Form dough into spheres roughly 1 inch in diameter. Line evenly spaced on sheets.

8. Bake for until just brown on top and mushy on inside.

9. Remember to save beaters with extra dough to lick alongside cookies.

#56. Pink Champagne Cookies

These cookies are a great way to use up any champagne left over from New Year’s!!

Just kidding—like you’ll have any left over. Buy an extra bottle to use for some boozy baking and toast 2019 with this sweet sparkly treat.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter

• 1 cup white sugar

• 1 cup pink champagne or sparkling wine

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 2 1/4 cups flour

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 1/4 cup sparkly sprinkles

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar with a hand-held mixer.

3. Beat in champagne and vanilla extract.

4. Gradually beat in flour and baking powder.

5. Using an ice cream scoop, form balls of dough and space evenly across sheets.

6. Sprinkle liberally with, um, sprinkles.

7. Bake 10-12 minutes.

#55. Butter Rum Balls

You’re already drinking this holiday season - why not throw some booze in the batter? These butter rum balls are a nice complement to a cheese plate or prelude to a rich roast.

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened

• 1 1/4 cups sugar

• 3 large egg yolks

• 1 tsp butter rum flavoring

• 2 1/2 cups flour, unsifted

Directions

1. In a large bowl, cream butter with 3/4 cup sugar using a hand-held mixture. Beat in egg yolks and rum flavoring.

2. Gradually add the flour, using hands to knead in last of it.

3. When the dough is smooth, shape into rolls about 1 1/2 inches in diameter, wrap in waxed paper and place in the refrigerator. Chill for at least 6 hours or overnight.

4. Cut into 1/4-inch slices and roll each slice with hands to form a ball. Roll balls in a mixture of the remaining 1/2 cup sugar.

5. Preheat over to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

6. Place on cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes.

#53. Frosted Egg Nog Cookies

It wasn’t until college that I first tried eggnog, even the non-alcoholic version. My reaction was in the same vein as that of Homer: “WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL MY LIFE!!!”

Tis the season, Marge! We only get thirty sweet, noggy days. Then the government takes it away again.

These cookies provide a double dose of nog, which is incorporated in the batter and frosting. If you desire more robust notes of booze, double the rum extract.

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups flour

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg, plus more for garnish

• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter 

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar

• 2 large egg yolks

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 tsp rum extract

• 1/2 cup eggnog

  Frosting

• 1/2 cup butter 

• 3-5 Tbs eggnog

• 1/2 tsp rum extract

• 3 cups powdered sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon for 30 seconds, set aside. 

2. Using a hand-held mixer, cream together butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar. 

3. Mix in egg yolks one at a time, blending just until combined after each addition.

4. Beat in vanilla extract, rum extract and egg nog. Slowly incorporate dry ingredients. 

5. Scoop dough out by the heaping tablespoonfuls and drop onto baking sheets, spacing cookies 2-inches apart. 

6. Bake in preheated oven 11 - 13 minutes.

7. Allow to rest on baking sheet several minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool. Cool completely then frost with Eggnog Frosting and sprinkle tops lightly with nutmeg.

#54. Non-Anatomically Correct Gingerbread People

Gingerbread people are the rare exception when it comes to my preferred texture for cookies, for I demand they be crispy, never soft, and only minimally moist. This recipe is slightly modified from that designed by The Daring Gourmet.

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter

• 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

• 3/4 cup white granulated sugar

• 1 cup molasses

• 1 large egg

• 5 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 tablespoon ground ginger

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• ½ teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Beat the butter in a large bowl on high speed for a few minutes until fluffy and pale in color. Add the white and brown sugar and beat for several more minutes until the mixture is no longer gritty.

3. Add the molasses and the egg and beat until combined.

4. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture a little at a time using a wooden spoon.

5. Place the gingerbread dough on the counter and form it into a large smooth mound. Divide it into 4 equal portions and flatten each portion into a disk. Wrap each disk with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.

6. Roll out the dough (one disc at a time!) between two sheets of waxed paper to a thickness of about ¼ inch.

7. Use ginger people cookie cutters of your choice to cut out cookies. Transfer to cookie sheets using a spatula. Repeat for all remaining dough discs.

8. Bake the gingerbread cookies for 8-10 minutes or until they are lightly browned around the edges. Let the cookies cool for at least 5 minutes on the baking sheets before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely and then ice them should you desire.

#52. Caramel Cinnamon Pecan Bites

I was a bit skimpy with the caramel glaze in the first batch because the cookies are sufficiently moist as is; however, feel free to add an extra ladle (and grab some extra napkins) if you want a better syrup to cookie ratio.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons white sugar

• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

• 1 cup dark brown sugar

• 1/2 cup white sugar

• 1 cup butter, softened

• 2 eggs

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 cup chopped sugar-glazed pecans

• caramel sundae topping

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

2. Combine the 3 tablespoons white sugar and the cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside.

3. Blend dark brown sugar and white sugar in a large bowl with mixer on medium speed. Add butter and blend until grainy. Add eggs and vanilla extract, mixing until light and fluffy.

4. Whisk flour, baking soda and salt together in a separate bowl. Add to sugar mixture, mixing at low speed just long enough to combine. Mix in glazed pecans.

5. Roll dough into 1 inch balls, then roll each ball into cinnamon-sugar to coat. Place cookies on cookie sheets and bake at 300 degrees F for 18 to 20 minutes.

6. Cool completely. Drizzle caramel topping over cookies.

#51. Pillsbury Baking Blitz, Part V: White Chocolate Snowflakes

If you think using pre-made Pillsbury dough as a base for making cookies is an unforgivable cop-out, stop reading now.

If, however, you are an enlightened, generous person who recognizes that “semi-homemade” baked goods still have merit for the time and creativity involved in their preparation, then please enjoy my five-part Pillsbury Baking Blitz.

Part V: White Chocolate Snowflakes

Ingredients

• 1 16-ounce roll of Pillsbury sugar cookie dough

• 1/4 cup flour

• White melting chocolate

• Blue sprinkles

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, knead cookie dough with flour.

3. On a floured surface, roll out dough.

4. Using a snowflake cookie cutter…well, if you don’t know how to use a cookie cutter, you probably shouldn’t be using an oven.

5. Line snowflake cookies 1 inch apart on sheets. Bake for 8-11 minutes until just brown around the edges.

6. Cool completely.

7. Place your melting chocolate (you can use wafers but I prefer bars) in a microwave-safe bowl. Melt the chocolate in the microwaves in 30-second intervals and remove when chocolate is just transitioning from solid to liquid form. Stir vigorously.

8. Dip top half of snowflake cookie into chocolate. Dust immediately with sprinkles.

9. Cool until chocolate hardens.

#50. Pillsbury Baking Blitz, Part IV: Triple Delight Peanut Butter Cookies

If you think using pre-made Pillsbury dough as a base for making cookies is an unforgivable cop-out, stop reading now.

If, however, you are an enlightened, generous person who recognizes that “semi-homemade” baked goods still have merit for the time and creativity involved in their preparation, then please enjoy my five-part Pillsbury Baking Blitz.

Thank you, sir, for your passionate pursuit of all things peanut!!

If you have a nut allergy, you should probably stop reading now.

These cookies boast a trifecta of peanut butter flavors, starting with the mild nuttiness of the dough, then to the creamy, sweet butter ball nestled inside, and ending with the chunky bits of PB cup on the exterior.

Part IV: Triple Delight Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup chopped peanut butter cups (and leftover chocolate candies)

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

• 1/2 chunky peanut butter

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar

• 1 roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury™ refrigerated peanut butter cookies, well chilled

Peanut butter wrapped in peanut butter….whoa.

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. In small bowl, mix chopped candies and granulated sugar. Set aside.

2. In another small bowl, stir peanut butter and powdered sugar until completely blended. Shape mixture into 24 (1-inch) balls.

3. Cut roll of cookie dough into 12 slices. Cut each slice in half crosswise to make 24 pieces; flatten slightly. Shape 1 cookie dough piece around 1 peanut butter ball, covering completely. Repeat with remaining dough and balls.

4. Roll each covered ball in candy mixture; gently pat mixture completely onto balls.

5. Place balls approximately 1 inch apart on cookie sheets.

6. Bake 9 to 12 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack. Store tightly covered.

Look left to see peanut ball inside!

#49. Pillsbury Baking Blitz, Part III: Marshmallow M&M Gingerbread Mounds

If you think using pre-made Pillsbury dough as a base for making cookies is an unforgivable cop-out, stop reading now.

If, however, you are an enlightened, generous person who recognizes that “semi-homemade” baked goods still have merit for the time and creativity involved in their preparation, then please enjoy my five-part Pillsbury Baking Blitz.

Part III: Marshmallow M&M Gingerbread Mounds

I love these cookies for the balance of bold spice (nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon) and heady semi-sweet chocolate. Fluff is the perfect adherent for the M&Ms because it seriously sticky and superficially sweet, so the cookies aren’t cloying.

Ingredients

• 1 roll (30 oz) Pillsbury refrigerated gingerbread cookies

• 1 jar marshmallow fluff

• Green and red M&Ms

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Using a sharp knife, cut vertical slides approximately 1/4 inch thick from dough log.

3. Form each slice into even sphere.

4. Space evenly apart on cookie sheets and bake 10-12 minutes, until just set.

5. Cool completely. Glaze with marshmallow fluff and decorate with M&Ms.

#48. Pillsbury Baking Blitz, Part II: Chocolate Chip Cookie Cups With Chocolate Cream

If you think using pre-made Pillsbury dough as a base for making cookies is an unforgivable cop-out, stop reading now.

If, however, you are an enlightened, generous person who recognizes that “semi-homemade” baked goods still have merit for the time and creativity involved in their preparation, then please enjoy my five-part Pillsbury Baking Blitz.

Part II: Chocolate Chip Cookie Cups With Chocolate Cream

What more fun than eating a cup of chocolate whipped cream? Being able to eat the cup when you’re finished BECAUSE IT’S A COOKIE!!

The recipe below is slightly adapted from Pillsbury website.

Ingredients

• 1 package Pillsbury refrigerated chocolate chip cookies

• 1 cup whipping cream

• 1/4 cup powdered sugar

• 2 Tbs unsweetened baking cocoa

• 1/4 Tsp vanilla

  Directions

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 24 muffin cups with cooking spray. Place 1 piece of cookie dough in each muffin cup; press in bottom and up side, forming cup shape.

2. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely in pans on cooling racks.

3. In chilled medium bowl, beat whipping cream with electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form. Add powdered sugar, cocoa and vanilla. Beat on high speed until stiff peaks form.

4. Carefully remove cookie cups from pans. Pipe chocolate cream into cups. Store in refrigerator.

#47. Pillsbury Blitz, Part I: Sugar Cookie Truffles

If you think using pre-made Pillsbury dough as a base for making cookies is an unforgivable cop-out, stop reading now.

If, however, you are an enlightened, generous person who recognizes that “semi-homemade” baked goods still have merit for the time and creativity involved in their preparation, then please enjoy my five-part Pillsbury Baking Blitz.

Part I: Sugar Cookie Chocolate Truffles

Confession: These are aren’t my favorite type of truffles. I prefer this variety:

And while those that know me, know that I would, with minimal prompting, eating a whole savory truffle by itself, the sweet kind are infinitely more poppable. (And actually less likely to give me a sick stomach.)

Ingredients

• 1 package (16 oz) Pillsbury™ Ready to Bake!™ refrigerated sugar cookies 

• Chocolate-flavored candy coating

• Festive sprinkles

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Shape each cookie into a ball; place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets.

3. Bake 9 to 12 minutes or until edges are light golden brown (center of cookies will be soft).

4. Cool on cookie sheets 5 minutes. Shape each cookie into a ball. Refrigerate 10 to 15 minutes or until completely cooled and firm.

5. Line a third (cool!) baking sheet with parchment paper.

6. In medium microwavable bowl, microwave candy coating uncovered on High 1 minute to 1 minute 30 seconds, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted and smooth. MAKE SURE THERE IS NO WATER IN BOWL OR CHOCOLATE WILL SEIZE.

7. Dip cookie balls, one at a time, into melted candy coating. Immediately decorate with candy sprinkles. Refrigerate truffles about 10 minutes or until coating is set. Store covered in refrigerator.
   

#46. Carrot Cake Cookie Sandwiches

I never said I wasn’t susceptible to suggestion. Case in point, these carrot cake cookie sandwiches, which were inspired by the side of the Duncan Hines cake mix box.

Ingredients

• 1 package Duncan Hines carrot cake mix

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter brought to room temperature

• 2 eggs

• 1 cup oats

• cream cheese frosting (dyed orange, just for shits and giggles)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

2. Soak packet of carrots and raisins according to cake mix box instructions.

3. In a large bowl, beat butter and eggs until creamy using a hand-held mixer.

4. In a separate bowl, combine cake mix, oats, and raisin-carrot mixture.

5. Gradually combine dry ingredients with creamed butter and eggs.

6. Drop heaping tablespoonfuls approximately 1.5 inches apart on cookie sheets.

7. Bake for 13-15 minutes until lightly brown.

8. Cool thoroughly.

9. Spread 1 to 2 tablespoons of frosting on underside of one cookie; top with underside of another cookie to form sandwich.

Enjoy knowing you have your RDA of Vitamin A.

#45. Festive Crispy Coconut Cherry Mounds

I like these cookies because they check so many boxes: crispy (yep!); fruity (yep!); buttery (yep!); moist (yep!); and (most importantly) seasonal color scheme (yep!).

The sweet creamy taste of the coconut well complements the slightly tangy cherry glaze, which adds soft textural contrast to the crunchy base.

You can use jam instead of pie filling, but I find the whole berries better suited to these cookies.

Ingredients

• 2 sticks butter

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 cup brown sugar 

• 1 egg

• 1 Tablespoon coconut extract

• 2 ¼ cups flour

• ½ teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• green sprinkles

• cherry pie filling

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, cream together butter, white sugar, and brown sugar using a hand-held mixer.

3. Beat in egg and coconut extract. Set aside.

4. In a medium-size bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, as green sprinkles (the more, the greener your goodies!)

5. Gradually add dry ingredient mixture to wet ingredients until thoroughly combined.

6. Place spheres of dough evenly spaced on baking sheet.

7. Bake for 12-15 minutes until cookies are dark brown around the edges.

8. Cool completely. Top each cookie with 1 to 2 teaspoons of cherry pie filling.

#44. Double Trouble Butterscotch Pudding Cookies

I like butter. I like scotch. And though butterscotch tastes not so much like a combination of either of those things, I adore its sweet, milky, brown sugar flavor with background hints of salt.

Fun Fact: The scotch in butterscotch actually is probably a derivative of “scorch”, referring to the burnt and/or browning of the sugar in its making.

The addition of chips (I like the Hershey’s variety) ups the ante by adding super-concentrated pockets of butterscotch as well as textural contrast with the softer dough.

Ingredients

• ¾ cup butter (one and a half sticks), softened

• ¾ cup brown sugar

• ¼ cup sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• 1 egg (see note)

• 2 cups flour

• 1 3.5 ounce box instant butterscotch pudding mix (dry, not prepared)

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 2 cups butterscotch chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar using a hand-held mixer.

3. Add in egg and vanilla extract. Set aside.

4. In a separate, smaller bowl, combine flour, pudding mix, and baking soda.

5. Gradually beat aforementioned dry ingredient mixer into wet ingredient mixture until thoroughly combined.

6. Add in butterscotch chips with spatula.

7. Place golfball-size spheres of dough evenly apart (about 1.5 inches) on baking sheets.

8. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until barely brown.

#43. Caramel Apple Skulls

When I’m not baking, eating, and cycling, I work in the neurosurgery department of a local medical school.

No, they do not let me crack open people’s skulls (YET); rather, my role as a PhD (fake doctor) is to help the physicians (real doctors) write articles, grant proposals, and sometimes, even whole books! It’s rewarding in a thousand different ways and I love geeking out over rare conditions and crazy-ass (that’s a technical term) procedures.

Therefore, it’s highly appropriate that at some point during Year of the Cookie, I make some edible skulls. The interim week between Thanksgiving and the grand baking blitz that will be December seemed like the right time.

Ingredients

• 1 (18.25 oz) pkg. Pillsbury caramel apple cake mix

• 1/2 cup flour (ish)

• 1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature

• 1/4 cup light brown sugar

• 1 egg

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

2. Using a hand-held mixer, blend together butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla extract.

3. Gradually add in cake mix and flour until thoroughly combined. Dough should just verge on crumbly.

4. On a floured surface, roll out dough. Punch out skull shapes using cookie cutters you bought at Halloween clearance.

5. Bake for 12 minutes

6. Cool completely and frost with Pillsbury caramel apple frosting.

#42. Chocolate-Dipped Sugar Wafers

Tis the season for freezing temperatures and melting chocolate! I am a fan of pretty much chocolate-dipped anything; a solid cocoa coating can do wonders to enhance plain pretzels, and of course, cookies.

The hardest aspect of this recipe is melting the chocolate in a perfectly dry bowl. A single drop of water left over from the dishwasher can (I kid you not) cause your chocolate to ‘seize’ and become totally worthless.

Directions

1. First, make the wafers, and allow them to cool completely.

2. Line two baking sheets (not the ones you used for the cookies, duh) with wax paper.

3. Place your melting chocolate (you can use wafers but I prefer bars) in a microwave-safe bowl. Melt the chocolate in the microwaves in 30-second intervals and remove when chocolate is just transitioning from solid to liquid form. Stir vigorously.

4. Dip wafers halfway into chocolate. Leave plain or sprinkle with additional chopped candy bars. Set on baking sheets to allow chocolate to re-harden.

#41. Pumpkin Spice M&Ms Pumpkin Cookies

Don’t you just love a bargain?

Well, I do, obviously, given my infatuation with discounted ingredients like this bag of pumpkin spice M&Ms I picked up at Kroger for 50 cents.

Mr. Orange M&M is deeply afraid. BUT OF WHAT???

And what better way to batter these highly processed squash-flavored treats than with some pumpkin spice cookie dough (significantly less processed).

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened

• 1 cup white sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 egg

• 1 cup pumpkin puree

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

• 1 bag Pumpkin Spice M&Ms, preferably discounted

Directions

1. Preheat over to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter, sugar, and vanilla using a hand-held mixer.

3. Beat in egg and pumpkin puree until thoroughly combined. Set aside.

4. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.

5. Gradually incorporate dry ingredient mixture into wet ingredients, beating on medium speed.

6. Mix in M&Ms using a wooden spoon or spatula.

7. Place golf ball-size spheres of dough evenly spaced apart on cookie sheets.

8. Bake for 11-13 minutes until barely brown. (Or longer if you want a more cake-y cookie.)

#40. Vanilla Pretzel Sugar Cookies

I am putting these cookies in the “fancy” category only because of their twisted construction. The recipe, as you will see, is very straight-forward. I went with the traditional course white sugar for topping but you can also use crushed nuts, sprinkles, or toffee bits.

Ingredients

• 3 cups all purpose flour

• 1/4 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

• 1/2 cup butter, softened

• 4 oz cream cheese, room temperature

• 2 large egg yolks

• 1 tbsp vanilla extract

• 2-3 tbsp coarse sugar, for topping

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a small bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, and salt until thoroughly combined. Set aside.

3. In a medium bowl, cream sugar, butter, and cream cheese using a hand-held mixer until smooth. Gradually beat in egg yolks and vanilla extract.

4. Incorporate dry ingredient mixture, roughly 1/4 cup at a time, into wet ingredient mixture using beaters.

5. Divide dough evenly into spheres and refrigerate for 1 hour.

6. Roll each sphere into a rope about 5 inches long and twist into pretzel shape. Here’s a handy how-to guide.

7. Place pretzels evenly spaced on baking sheet and sprinkle generously with course sugar.

8. Bake for 12-14 minutes until just barely brown.

9. Consume with cocoa.

#39. Avocado Candy Bar Cookies

Yes, you read correctly. These cookies have a split personality: wholesome for their use of healthful avocado fats (instead harmful animal ones from butter) YET chock full o’ chunks of candy bars.

Does the latter vice cancel out the former virtue? I think not.

The plant lipids take the suppleness of these cookies to eleven and only contribute the mildest of botanical flavor.

Ingredients

• 1 ripe mashed avocado, finely mashed

• 1/2 cup brown sugar

• 1 egg

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 1/4 cup flour

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 1 cup chocolate candy bars and M&Ms, chopped
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Combine avocado, sugar, egg, and vanilla extract in large mixing bowl. Set aside.

3. In separate smaller bowl, whisk together flour and baking soda.

4. Gradually incorporate dry ingredient mixture into wet ingredients.

5. Fold in candy bar chunks.

6. Using a spoon, place golfball-size scoops evenly spaced on baking sheets.

7. Bake 8-10 minutes until just set.

#38. Chocolate-Covered Halloween Sandwich Cookies

This blog post not sponsored by Nabisco.

I’m old enough to remember a time in which the only “limited edition” Oreos available were those that emerged in mid-September double-stuffed with orange (in color never in flavor) creme.

Orange is my favorite hue and Halloween, my favorite holiday. How could I not lust after these heavily processed yet insanely delicious cookies?

Each year I purchase a family-size package (hey, I have a husband and two cats—that counts as a clan) and nosh all month long. This year, I put aside a few cookies to make some chocolate-covered cookie sammies. Hey, not every recipe has to involve a lot of heavy-lifting.

Ingredients

• Halloween Oreos (or generic Halloween-theme chocolate cookie sandwiches if you have no soul)

• Melting chocolate (chocolate chips or bar)

• Halloween sprinkles

Directions

1. Line two cookie sheets with wax paper.

2. Melt chocolate in microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals. Make sure bowl is absolutely devoid of any water or else chocolate will ‘seize up’ and fail to melt smoothly.

3. Dunk Halloween Oreos one by one in melted chocolate and place on wax paper.

4. Decorate immediately with theme sprinkles.

5. Cool in fridge until chocolate is hardened.