Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have about 10+ chocolate chip cookie recipes, but this one is in the top 2. Along with 'The Chewy' by Alton Brown. It's really similar to the Tollhouse recipe, just improved. I have the hardest time with cookies being too flat, too puffy, too bready, too crunchy, and so on. I've never had a problem with this recipe though! So here's what you need for the no-fail chocolate chip cookies

Butter, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, eggs, flour, salt, baking soda, milk chocolate chips, and semi-sweet chocolate chips. In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter and both sugars until creamy

Add vanilla and eggs; beat until combined

In a separate bowl, combine all the dry ingredients, including chocolate chips (this way you won't be mixing the dough anymore than necessary. Stir together

Add to the dough and stir on low speed until just combined. (If you over mix, the cookies will become flat and hard)

Here's the finished dough

Scoop into dough balls and place in an air-tight bowl, container, plate, etc.

Refrigerate dough for 2 hours, or overnight if possible. When the dough is ready to be baked, place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet

Bake about 6-10 minutes, depending on the size of the cookies

Slide the parchment paper off the baking sheet to cool

Eat right then, when cooled, or the next day. Personally I think cookies are best the first day, but these will be good about 3 days if stored in an air-tight bag or container

Drink with a large glass of milk :)

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup unsalted butter, soft

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 Tbs. vanilla

3 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking soda

1 cup milk chocolate chips

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugars until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla, beat until well combined. In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, and chocolate chips. Add to the dough and mix on low speed until just combined. Scoop into dough balls and place in an air-tight bowl, container, plate, etc. Refrigerate dough for 2 hours, or overnight if possible. When the dough is ready to be baked, place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake about 6-10 minutes, depending on the size of the cookies. Slide the parchment paper off the baking sheet to cool. Eat cookies right out of the oven or cooled. I like cookies best the first, but these are good for about 3-4 days if stored in an air-tight container.

S'more Cupcakes

If you like s'mores, you will LOVE these cupcakes. They taste exactly like a s'more, just in cupcake form. They are little time consuming compared to some other cupcakes I've made, but they were fun and the finished product was worth it. Here's what you need for the cupcakes

Graham crackers, butter, sugar, eggs, semi-sweet bakers chocolate, salt, baking soda, cocoa powder, baking powder, cake flour, vanilla, and buttermilk. Place the graham crackers in the bowl of a food processor

Pulse until crumbly; add melted butter and sugar

Pulse that together until combined

Scoop 1 Tbs. of graham mixture into the bottom of each cupcake lined muffin cup

Using the bottom of the Tbs. press the crust down

Repeat with every muffin cup. This is what it should look like (just like doing crust on cheesecake)

Set those aside for now. Cut up bakers chocolate into shavings

Sprinkle over the graham crusts

Bake just for the crusts to firm and the chocolate to melt. Set that aside; prepare cupcake batter. In a large bowl, combine butter and sugar

Beat together until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla

Mix together well. In a separate bowl, combine cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt

Stir together until well combined. Alternately add the dry mixture in with the buttermilk

Begin and end with dry mixture

Keep on low speed while adding these ingredients

Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl when needed. Here's the finished batter

Using a large ice cream scoop, spoon batter into each cupcake lined cup

Bake

Take cupcakes out of pan to cool completely. While cooling, prepare the frosting. Here's what you need for the marshmallow fluff frosting

Butter, vanilla, powdered sugar, and marshmallow creme. In a mixing bowl, combine butter and vanilla

Beat until fluffy and combined. Add powdered sugar

Mix together well, add in the marshmallow creme

Beat together until fully mixed. Finished frosting..

Pipe frosting on cooled cupcakes. Decorate with graham crackers and hershey bars to make them look like a s'more

The inside

This is my new favorite chocolate cake recipe. Super moist and chocolatey. Go-to chocolate cake recipe, Check.

S'more Cupcakes

Crust:

1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
¼ cup sugar
5 1/3 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
8 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped

Cupcakes:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, soft

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

3/4 cup cake flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

3/4 cup buttermilk

Frosting:

2 sticks butter, soft

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 (7 oz) tub marshmallow creme

Crust:

Place graham crackers in the bowl of a food processor. Grind up into fine crumbles. Measure into 1 1/2 cups, grinding more crackers if necessary. Put the graham crackers back in the food processor and add the melted butter and the sugar. Pulse until combined. Drop 1 Tbs. of graham mixture in the bottom of each cupcake lined muffin cup. Press down using the bottom of the measuring spoon; set aside. Cut the bakers chocolate into shavings. Sprinkle a good amount over the graham crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 3 minutes. Take out of the oven and set aside.

Batter:

In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla, mix until combined. In a separate bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Alternately add that dry mixture in with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry mixture. Once the batter is combined, scoop over the graham crust filling 2/3 way full. (I use a large ice cream scoop). Bake at 350 degrees for 18-22 minutes or until done. Take out of the oven, let cool in pan for a couple of minutes. Take out of the pan and let cool completely. While those are cooling, prepare the frosting.

Frosting:

Beat together butter and vanilla. Add the powdered sugar and beat until fluffy. Add the jar of marshmallow creme and beat to combine. Frost the cooled cupcakes. I decorated them with hershey bar and graham cracker, but that is optional. Enjoy!

Best of Both Worlds

Marble cake is very popular, but I've never made one. I've wanted to for a while, so I just did it. It really is the best of both worlds because you get chocolate and vanilla cake all in one. This is adapted from southern livings marble cake. It is moist, buttery, and strongly flavored. Delish. Here's what you need for the marble cake

Butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, water, flour, baking powder, salt, cocoa powder, and half & half. In a large bowl, combine butter and sugar

Beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla

Mix in until combined. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients

Alternately add this dry mixture with the half & half, beginning and ending with the dry mixture

Mix on low speed until just combined

Scoop out some of the batter into a large bowl. Add water, cocoa powder, and sugar to make the chocolate combination for the marble

Stir together with a spatula

Here's your two batters

Pour the white batter into a greased sheet pan

Spread out evenly. Then dollop the chocolate batter around the cake

Using a butter knife, swirl the chocolate batter into the vanilla batter until the batters marble together

Bake

While cooling, prepare the frosting. Here's what you need for the vanilla buttercream

Butter, vegetable crisco, half & half, vanilla, salt, and powdered sugar. In a mixing bowl, combine butter and shortening

Beat together until fluffy. Add the powdered sugar

Beat that in, then add the vanilla and half & half

Mix that in. Add more half & half until consistency is reached

Spread the frosting over the cooled cake 

This cake was super moist. I adapted it from Southern Living. This is definitely my go-to marble cake recipe. When I cut into it, I was surprised to see it wasn't really marbled, it was more so layered. I didn't mind, but if you are wanting more of a marble look, gently fold from the bottom to the top while marbling. (You have to be careful not to mix the batters though)

This cake will work just as well in cupcake or layer cake form if you prefer that. Just adjust the baking time

Best Marble Cake

-Adapted from Southern Living

1 cup butter, softened                     1 3/4 cups sugar, divided

• 2 large eggs                                    2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 1/8 cups AP flour                        1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt                             1 cup half & half
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder                    4 tablespoons hot water

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar at medium speed for 2 minutes or until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla, beating just until blended. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to butter mixture alternately with half & half, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition, stopping to scrape bowl as needed. Spoon 1 1/4 cups batter into a large bowl; Add cocoa, hot water, and remaining 1/4 cup sugar until well blended. Spread remaining vanilla batter into a greased 9X13 baking pan. Spoon chocolate batter onto vanilla batter in pan; gently swirl with a butter knife to create a marble. Bake at 325° for 23 to 28 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack (about 1 hour). Prepare frosting while cooling. (I used a vanilla buttercream, but I think milk chocolate frosting goes wonderful on a marble cake).

Vanilla Buttercream:

1/2 cup butter, softened                1/2 cup vegetable shortening

2 tsp. vanilla extract                      4 cups powdered sugar

2-4 Tbs. half & half


In a large bowl, beat together butter and shortening until fluffy. Add powdered sugar, a cup at a time. Mix in the vanilla and half & half, adding more half & half until desired consistency is reached. Beat the frosting until well combined. Spread evenly over the cooled marble cake. Enjoy :)