Everything Chocolate PB & Pretzel Cookies | Freezer Cookies Tips

 What is it about back to school time that makes me want to stock the cookie jar?  Mike and Emma only like regular chocolate chip cookies.  Ugh.  I need a little variety!  Snickerdoodles, Peanut Butter, Sugar...  

They could eat chocolate chip cookies, boxes of brownies and plain chocolate cake their entire life and be fulfilled.  It makes it hard for me to want to come up with new recipes when they always ask for the classics.  However, when Emma was at school this week, I took it upon myself to experiment.  I started with their favorite chocolate chip recipe (tollhouse, but I use a little extra brown sugar and a little less white to make chewier) and added lots of yummy things - PB Chips, Chocolate Chips, Pretzels and Flaked Sea Salt.

They loved them!  Yay for a new favorite!

After school bliss after a long day in 1st Grade.   Sometimes I miss the lazy days of summer, but I also love a clean house, a full cookie jar and after school rituals : )  I pick Emma up from school everyday.  Those three hours we spend together before Mike gets home are so magic.  So many warm fuzzy feelings with after school routines - the walk home, snacks, hearing about the day, playing and dinner prep together.  After working by myself earlier in the day, I'm re-energized and ready to be a "stay-at-home" mom again in the afternoon.  I really make every effort to put down my phone and free my brain to piddle with Emma, laundry, time in the yard, dinner and keeping house.

Baking Scoops, $12

I've just added/restocked one of my favorite baking essentials -  [Baking Scoops](https://everyday-occasions.myshopify.com/collections/baking-supplies/products/scoops-set-of-2).  Every single time I made cookies, I scoop half of the dough into balls to bake immediately,  then I scoop the rest into balls that go in the freezer.  It is so nice to have them to pull out for last minute desserts or after school snacks if Emma has a friend over.  We serve them at dinner parties all of the time with decaf coffee - adults love fresh baked cookies warm out of the oven, too : )

Tip : I line them up on a small sheet pan lined with parchment paper, then freeze them directly on the pan.  After about an hour I take them out and put them into a freezer bag.  This helps them not stick together while they are freezing.

Scoops - 2 Sizes:

Small : 0.875 oz  (Pictured here.  I use this for regular size cookies + small muffins)

Large : 2.75 oz  (I use this for cupcakes and large cookies)

Note : These are scooped for the freezing.  For baking, I would spread them out and do about 8-10 per large sheet, 4-5 per small sheet.

I store all of our chips and goodies in my Plastic Kitchen Containers, (18 for $8) in the kitchen.  It keeps the pantry from overflowing with half-used bags of chips, nuts and sprinkles.  Also, I find that I always have a little left in multiple bags of chocolate chips that just sort of bury themselves in the pantry, so this way they are easily combined.

Everything Chocolate PB & Pretzel Cookies

2 sticks of salted butter, softened/room temp

1 cup of brown sugar

1/2 cup of granulated sugar

1 teaspoon of vanilla

2 eggs

2 1/4 cups of flour

1 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1 1/2 cups of chocolate chips*

1/2 cup of peanut butter chips*

1/2 cup of pretzels*

flaked sea salt

Begin by creaming together butter and sugars in a mixer until smooth, about 2 minutes.  Add vanilla and eggs, mix again until smooth.  Add in flower, salt and baking soda, along with chocolate chips, PB chips and half of the pretzels - reserve some of each type of chip from the mixture.  I put them on top of each cookie ball before baking to make them look extra loaded.  Mix together slowly just until combined.  

Scoop cookies onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet (you can find in my store, here).  I use a small scoop for regular cookies and a large scoop for extra large cookies.  (Scoops, here >). Put some broken pieces of pretzels and extra chips on each pretzel.  Sprinkle a big of flaked sea salt on each, also.

Bake for 8 minutes at 350 degrees.  They might seem slightly soft in the middle, but keeping them on the hot pan when you take them out of the oven usually finishes the cooking perfectly.

I like putting the chips, etc. in with the flour, then the flour sort of coats the chips and helps them not settle to the bottom while baking.

Note : These are scooped for the freezing.  For baking, I would spread them out and do about 8-10 per large sheet, 4-5 per small sheet.

Small Baking Sheet
Large Baking Sheet
Parchment Paper
Scoops

Topped with pretzel pieces before baking/freezing.  This gives them extra crunch on top - and you can see that there are pretzels inside!

They take just a few minutes longer to bake when frozen.  I put them still frozen on the baking sheet and let them baking for about 10-12 minutes.  They are actually better after having been frozen... not sure why, but true!

In the freezer!  

I boxed up some for a birthday gift for a friend in my Navy Wellie Boxes.  They would make such a cute Back-to-School Gift for a teacher, too.  They are perfect for cookies or gift cards.

Navy Wellie Boxes, here >

Our gift was actually a 40th Birthday for one of Mike's friends... so, we also brought along a bottle of bourbon.  Swap bottle of wine and would be perfect for a hostess gift.  If we are going to a friend's home we usually bring something baked and a bottle of wine.

I hope everyone is having a great back-to-school!  

Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe | SO Good

We were recently at a bakery and they had these big flakes of sea salt on their chocolate chip cookies.  For a household where I'm not really encouraged to make anything but Chocolate Chip when it comes to cookies - this was a delightful new spin for me.  Especially because I can load ours up with flaked sea salt and leave Emma's normal without great effort.

Of course, you can use any chocolate chip cookie recipe that you like, but I did include my notes & tips below.  I started with the original Tollhouse recipe.

I feel like I'm probably behind the bandwagon here.  I know salted everything has been around for a while.  I mean, I posted a Salted Caramel recipe about 7 years ago...  But, for some reason, I've just now gotten around to buying real flaked sea salt.  It is probably the smallest investment you can make in the kitchen for a "fancy" ingredient.  I think it was $6 at our grocery store?   I think you can find it at Target, Williams-Sonoma and nice grocery stores.

I always scoop my cookies.  It is just so much easier than using spoons.

TIP : I still put SOME salt in the dough, but only 2/3 of what is called for in the recipe.  This helps it from becoming too salty, and you still get to enjoy the sweetness of the cookie.

Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 sticks of softened butter
3/4 cup of brown sugar
3/4 cup of granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon of vanilla
2 1/4 cups of flour
2/3 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of baking soda
2 cups of chocolate chips
......
2 tablespoons of flaked sea salt (I used Maldon)

Cream together butter and sugars in a mixer.  Add eggs and vanilla and mix until combine.  Add flour, salt and baking soda.  Stir until just combined.  Add chocolate chips, stir until just combined.

I bake them on a Parchment Paper lined Large Baking Sheets (for 8-12), or a Small Baking Sheets (for 4-6).  I usually bake one pan, then make the rest into balls and put them in the freezer.  We use them for easy weeknight desserts or even when we have last minute dinner with company.  Adults LOVE warm chocolate chip cookies for dessert.  And so do kids.

TIP : After a couple of trials, I discovered that rolling the cookie dough tops in sea salt worked better than just sprinkling it on.  

I just sort of press the balls a little bit on the salt - but not too much.  They can get too salty.  But, remember how cookies will spread, so just make sure there is enough for a flake on each bite when baked.

Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

My spring bulbs are coming along nicely!

Tour our kitchen, here >

I was hoping to have them in bloom for my spring product photos next week, but it does not look like that will happen.

The baking counter is sharing space with my Valentine's Day flowers.  Mike did really well this year : )
Those ranunculus are so big and pillowy soft.

Yum!  Those crunchy, salty flakes.

Baking on Parchment Paper is such a dream because it is naturally non-stick... and there is NO cleanup. Just throw the sheet away.

My Products Featured :
Parchment Paper, $10 for 100 sheets >
Large Baking Sheets, $10 >
Small Baking Sheets, $7 >
Oatmeal Striped Essential Kitchen Towel, $6 >
Indigo Striped Oven Mitt, $12 >

Shop all of my Baking Essentials >

Chocolate Chip Butter Cake with Cocoa Glaze

I have a feeling that most after school snacks these days look like fresh veggies and apples slices.  Or maybe a bar?  I don't know about you, but when I was in school I went home from school and I was starving!  And tired.  And in need of some comfort food.  

Aged Bread Boards, Set of 3
Checked Tea Towels

There is a reason that picture perfect days of the past featured fresh baked cookies coming out of the oven as the kids got off of the bus, ala June Cleaver.  I may wear leggings and sneakers most days instead of a dress and pearls, but I think June knew what she was doing.

Because I pack a healthy lunch for Emma, and we have relatively healthy homemade dinners at night (as long as pasta counts...), we don't shy away from a daily indulgence.  And a slice of warm, chocolate chip butter cake with glaze fits the bill.  You can skip the glaze, or dust on powdered sugar instead... I guess.

I love baking quick breads/pound cakes.  They are so quick to put together and there is something so simple about baking in a loaf pan that seems easier than a cake pan.  

I use a sheet of Parchment Paper ($10 for 100), cut to fit the Essential Loaf Pan, to make removing the cake simple.  Comes out perfectly every time.

Products Featured : 

Parchment Paper ($10 for 100)

Essential Loaf Pan

Aged Bread Boards, Set of 3
Checked Tea Towels

Chocolate Chip Butter Cake with Cocoa Glaze

12 tablespoons butter, softened
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup of chocolate chips

.......

3 tablespoons of butter, melted

2 tablespoons of milk

2 tablespoons of cocoa

2 cups of powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350.

In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Cream together butter and sugar for 3 minutes.  Add eggs.  In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, soda and salt.  In another separate bowl, combine milk, and vanilla.  Add half of the wet ingredients to the butter sugar mixture, mix for 5 seconds, then add half of the dry and mix for 5 seconds.  Repeat with second half, ending with dry ingredients.  Pour batter into loaf pan - I like to line mine with parchment paper.  Bake for 35-45 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean.

For glaze, melt butter with milk in a pourable measuring cup in the microwave.  Add cocoa and mix with a fork.  Microwave 30 more seconds.  Add powdered sugar and stir with a fork until smooth.  Add more powdered sugar or milk to achieve pourable constancy.  Also, reheat in the microwave if it sets up before you pour it over the cake.

 

I LOVE this glaze.  I use it on Homemade Donuts, Chocolate Cupcakes & Cakes.   Even to dip graham crackers : )   Browse all of the recipes that I use the Chocolate Glaze on, here >

Pin this Chocolate Chip Butter Cake with Cocoa Glaze

Browse all of the my Dessert Recipes, here >

Browse all of the recipes that I use the Chocolate Glaze on, here >

Products Used : 

Parchment Paper ($10 for 100)

Essential Loaf Pan

Aged Bread Boards, Set of 
Checked Tea Towels

Chocolate Chip Cookies & Ice Cream Petite Pies

The Cookie Monster

Happy Friday!  I thought I'd share some photos from our after school snack a couple of days ago.  I had intended to take some really pretty photos of this cookie topped with ice cream, but as you can see, there was no stopping Emma.  She was so funny and sneaky - didn't even look back at me to check to see if I was going to tell her "no."  Just grabbed it and ran.  The entire swipe happened in about 3 seconds - I didn't have the heart to stop her : )

To make these yummy individual Chocolate Chip "Skillet" Cookies, we put cookie dough in these Petite Tart Pans ($6 for 10) and baked for 10-12 minutes.  Yum!  The middle was gooey, the outside was chewy and edges were crunchy - such a treat!  They are perfect for make ahead because they can just go in the freezer and then baked as needed.  Get 1, 2 or 4 out at a time.

As you can see, she is counting out and savoring each one of her allotted 4 chocolate chips.



Devouring and enjoying each and every one!



Now, hot out of the oven, she helped me put a scoop of ice cream on top.  As I was getting my camera set up, I didn't realize she was planning her attack.  When I looked through my lens for a test shot, I see this.

And then, in a matter of seconds...

Swiped it.  As you can see the ice cream didn't even have a minute to start getting melty, as I had planned for the photos.  

Literally ran out of the kitchen with it.  I guess she's got her Dad's love of chocolate chip cookies!

Happy Friday!