Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookie Bars

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookie Bars - made September 25, 2022 from Inquiring Chef 

1 cup (125 grams) all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

1 cup brown sugar, lightly packed

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup old-fashioned oats

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup M&Ms

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8 x 8-inch baking pan with foil and lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, stir together melted butter, brown sugar, egg and vanilla extract until combined. Add dry ingredients and mix to combine. Stir in oats. Fold in chocolate chip sand M&Ms.
4. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth top. Press in additional chips and M&Ms on top if desired. Bake 24-28 minutes or until edges are set and golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool completely before cutting and serving.

This is an easy, straightforward bar cookie that's not only perfect for mailing in care packages but also lends itself well to any holiday or theme you need, just by virtue of what kind of M&Ms you add in.

These went into Halloween care packages so it was easy to use the M&M Halloween mix. Flavor-wise, they're made hearty by the oats and the chocolate adds a nice touch. If you're mailing these, bake on the lower end of the recommended time to keep them soft and moist. The toothpick test doesn't work as well after 20 minutes because the oats aren't going to be raw batter on the toothpick. I only baked these for 24 minutes and they were fine. 

Cake Batter Chocolate Chip Cookies from Sally's Baking Addiction

Cake Batter Chocolate Chip Cookies - made dough September 23, 2022, modified from Sally's Baking Addiction

1 1/4 cups (156 grams) all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cups (190 grams) yellow or vanilla boxed cake mix (not the whole box and you just need the dry mix)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar

1/2 cup (100 grams) packed light brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon cake batter extract (sub vanilla extract if you don't have cake batter extract)

1 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup sprinkles

1. In a large bowl, sift together flour, dry cake mix, baking soda and salt.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until well combined and creamy, about 1 minute.
3. Add the egg and mix to combine. Add vanilla and mix to combine.
4. Add dry ingredients in two additions, beating on low speed after each addition until just combined. Mix in the chocolate chips and sprinkles on low speed until evenly dispersed. Do not overbeat.
5. Cover and chill dough for 2 hours then portion into dough balls making them taller than they are wider, cover and chill or freeze.
6. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and evenly place dough balls. Bake 10-12 minutes or until edges are set and middles no longer look raw. Remove from oven and let rest on baking sheets for several minutes before transferring to wire rack to cool completely. 

Can you believe it's already October? Yeah, me neither. I love this time of year so it can never come fast enough but I'm almost always surprised when it does arrive because it signals the slide into the end of the year. Already??

I started making Halloween-themed treats even before October though since I was mailing these in care packages for Soldiers Angels and had to account for mailing time. The first week of October is the very latest I want to make anything Halloween-related if I want them to arrive by or before Halloween.

These Cake Batter Chocolate Chip Cookies from Sally's Baking Addiction seemed like a good one to go with for the season. I'm not a fan of sprinkles but they are the easiest way to add to any holiday theme, depending on which colors you choose. It was simple enough to Halloween-ize these cookies.

I also still had cake batter extract from the Crumbl Copycat Birthday Cake cookie recipe so I did a 1:1 substitution for the vanilla extract in the original recipe. My palate isn't sensitive enough to tell how much of a difference that made, especially since I didn't make the original recipe as is for a control point but I like to think it helped add to the cake flavor along with the dry cake mix in the recipe.

Although, to be honest, this seemed like a chocolate chip cookie with a little cake batter flavor in it. I think I'd prefer a straightforward chocolate chip cookie with milk chocolate chips but I wasn't making these for me and I think they'd appeal to both chocolate chip cookie traditionalists and cake batter flavor consumers. Plus, sprinkles make them festive and perfect for care packages.

Giant White Chocolate Chip Macadamia Cookies

Giant White Chocolate Chip Macadamia Cookies - made September 16, 2022 from Baking with Blondie

1 cup unsalted butter, cold and sliced into tablespoons

1 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 whole eggs, cold

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (can use half cake flour and half all-purpose flour)

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped and lightly toasted and cooled

1 cup white chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 410 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter for 1 minute until light and fluffy. Add in the brown sugar and granulated sugar and cream together for 3 minutes on high speed.
3. Scrape down the sides and bottom of bowl to keep mixture even-textured. Add vanilla and eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. Add the flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt in two additions, mixing on low speed, until just combined. Do not overmix.
5. Reserve 1/8 cup of chocolate chips and macadamia nuts before stirring the rest gently into the dough. Portion dough into 8 dough balls and place 4 cookie dough balls on each cookie sheet. Flatten very slightly and hand press the macadamia nuts on top. Bake for 9-10 minutes. Remove from oven and press reserved white chocolate chips over hot cookies. Let cool in baking sheets for 5 minutes then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

yes, yes, I could

Another solid cookie recipe from Baking with Blondie and, as you can tell from the pictures, I mean solid. This ain't no airy, light textured cookie. 

But if you like your cookies with some heft (I do), moist and chewy (raises hand) and has amazing texture (still here), her cookies are for you. They're almost like baked cookie dough where the outside is baked and provides a "shell" for the almost-cookie-dough-like texture on the inside.

They may not be for everyone but they sure are for me. I like the macadamia and white chocolate combination as well (one of the few times I like white chocolate). Next time though, I might make them more like discs than rounded mounds for easier biting and eating. These don't spread much so they'll bake and hold the shape you make them into. 

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies from Just So Tasty

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies - made September 16, 2022 from Just So Tasty

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup quick oats

1/2 cup old-fashioned oats

1. In a large bowl, cream together butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar and peanut butter until fluffy.
2. Mix in the egg and vanilla. 
3. On low speed, add in the flour, baking soda and salt, mixing until just combined. Mix in the oats.
4. Portion dough into balls, cover and chill or freeze for several hours or overnight.
5. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and evenly space dough balls. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until edges are set and middles no longer look raw or shiny.

I actually first tried this recipe during the early months of the pandemic but never blogged about them as I wasn't in the right headspace to keep baking and blogging at the same time. Back then, along with the rest of the world, I did whatever brought comfort and didn't "make" myself do anything I didn't want to. It was enough to get through the day without mishap.

But I did keep a draft of the recipe so I could get back to it "someday". And someday has arrived. I was doubling up on the care packages I've been baking for Soldiers Angels as there are currently a lot of deployed military service members who've signed up for packages and, for the moment, there doesn't seem to be enough supply to meet the demand.

That's where it comes in handy to have easy cookie recipes to make. Although chocolate chip cookies are the most requested in care packages, I tend to vary the types of cookies I send and I gravitate to the hearty ones that have peanut butter and/or oatmeal. 

Not that that makes the cookies healthy, thanks to the butter and sugar, but hey, it gives the illusion, right? I don't have a picture of the inside of the cookie since I didn't eat one but I remember these being a good combination of peanut butter and oatmeal, moist and chewy. They don't spread too much. The ones you see were only briefly chilled and I only left them in the freezer for as long as the oven took to preheat. 

Espresso Chocolate Chunk Brownies

Espresso Chocolate Chunk Brownies - made September 14, 2022 from Baker by Nature 

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

12 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

1 cup unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons

3 teaspoons instant espresso powder

2 cups granulated sugar

5 eggs, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 cups chocolate chunks

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with foil and lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt and cocoa powder.
3. In the top half of the double boiler set over hot water, combine semisweet chocolate, butter and instant espresso powder. Whisk until completely melted and combined. 
4. Turn off the heat and add the sugar, whisking until completely combined. Remove the top half of the double boiler and wipe bottom free of moisture.
5. Add the eggs to the batter and whisk until just combined. Add vanilla and stir to combine. Add flour mixture and stir until just combined and mixture is glossy. Do not overbeat. Fold in chocolate chunks.
6. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth top. Bake for 30 - 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Let cool completely before cutting and serving.

Another good care package brownie, especially if you like coffee or espresso flavor amping up your chocolate. I'm not a coffee drinker myself but I love the smell of coffee and don't mind the flavor of it in baked goods.

We're getting into cooler temps where I live, although "cooler" is relative and just means it isn't triple digit temps anymore. Still not cool enough to risk ordering unsweetened chocolate through the mail but we're getting close. In the meantime, I'm still trying out more cocoa-powder-based recipes.

This one is good. It's nice and fudgy although a bit softer than my favorite recipe. The espresso isn't overwhelming but pairs well with the chocolate. It's a bit sweet so if you want more chocolate rather than sugar in the flavor profile, substitute a few ounces of unsweetened chocolate instead of the semisweet chocolate melted with the butter and espresso powder.

"Best Ever" Pancakes

Pancakes - made September 16, 2022 from Grace and Good Eats

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups whole milk
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter, melted

1. In a medium bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. 
2. Stir milk and egg together in a separate bowl.
3. Create well in the center of the flour mixture. Pour the melted butter and milk mixture into the well. Use a wire whisk to stir everything together until just combined. Do not overmix.
4. Let the batter rest while heating a lightly oiled skillet or griddle to medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Cook each side 3-6 minutes or until lightly golden brown.

I actually made this recipe several years ago but I found it in my draft posts so I don't think I ever posted it.

Which is a shame as they're really, really good. They're as fluffy as they look and, covered in maple syrup, hit the spot if you want a bit of sweet for breakfast. Or lunch. Or dinner. I rarely eat solid food in the morning so I almost never have breakfast food at breakfast time. These were my lunch pancakes.

Not sure I'd call them "best ever" but mostly because there haven't been many pancakes I haven't liked. These were good ones. Be sure to let the batter rest for at least 15 minutes if you can so they'll be tender and fluffy.

Chewy Oatmeal Cookies

Chewy Oatmeal Cookies - made dough September 2, 2022 from Fearless Baker by Emily Luchetti

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 cups old-fashioned oats

1 cup all-purpose unbleached flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons whole milk

1/2 cup dried cherries (omitted, added more chocolate chips)

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until well combined and smooth. Add the egg and vanilla, mixing until combined.
3. Stir in the oats, flour, baking soda and salt until combined. Stir in the milk, dried cherries and chocolate chips until combined.
4. Portion into golf-ball-size dough balls, flatten slightly and evenly space on prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned and middles no longer look raw. Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes before transferring cookies to wire rack to cool completely. 

My friend Rick emailed me out of the blue one night and I was reminded of his favorite cookie, oatmeal chocolate chip. I used to bring them to work and give Rick a heads up. After we both left the company, I'd occasionally mail oatmeal chocolate chip cookies to him (and his family as presumably he shared the cookies) whenever I tried out a new recipe for them.

So in honor of Rick, I tried out another new recipe for oatmeal chocolate chip from one of my baking books by Emily Luchetti. My criteria for a cookie to truly be an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie instead of a chocolate chip cookie with some oats in them is that it has to contain more oats than flour. This one does.

I used old-fashioned oats instead of instant or quick cooking as I find they're more hearty and are more chewy. This was a true oatmeal cookie. It was a little sweet and some of the cookies came out a little misshapen so I don't think I kept the dough as even textured during mixing as I should have. If you want to soften the oats a bit, after making the dough, refrigerate it overnight to let the oats and flour absorb more moisture. 

This had great caramelization and the semisweet chocolate worked well to offset a little of the sweetness. Sadly for Rick, I mailed these in care packages for Soldiers Angels rather than sending them to him but shhh, no need to tell him that.

Life Changing Brownies from Rumbly Tumbly

Life Changing Brownies - made September 13, 2022 from Rumbly Tumbly

Brownies

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup butter

1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1 teaspoon instant coffee or espresso powder

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

5 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Frosting

6 tablespoons milk

6 tablespoons butter

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with foil and lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder and salt. Set aside.
3. In the top half of a double boiler set over hot water, melt butter, chocolate chips and espresso powder, whisking until completely melted and smooth. Remove from heat 
4. Mix in granulated sugar and brown sugar until combined. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, until just combined. Add in vanilla and mix to combine. Do not overmix.
5. Add dry ingredients and stir to combine. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
6. Once the brownies have been removed from the oven. make the frosting: combine the butter, milk and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring to combine. Let come to a rolling boil for 30 seconds. Remove from heat and stir in the chocolate chips and vanilla, mixing until smooth and glossy.
7. Spread frosting over warm brownies. Let cool completely before cutting.

Whenever I see a recipe for frosted brownies, I think of my favorite recipe for them, Essence of Chocolate Squares which is, essentially (ha), a dark chocolate brownie under a layer of a rich creamy fudgy frosting. 

The comparisons are inevitable. This is similar except the frosting sets and hardens almost like a penuche in texture except it's chocolate. It's more like a thick Magic Shell with the texture of fudge, if that makes sense. It's a bit too sweet for me but if you want to counter the sweetness, replace 1/4 cup of the semisweet chocolate chips with 1.5 ounce of unsweetened chocolate.

I'm not sure these changed my life as the original title dramatically promises but there's always room in my life for more brownies and this was a good one.