Chocolate Sugar Cookies

I've always loved sugar cookies. You really can't go wrong. I mean, you can make them into any shape you want (Yoda, anyone?). And you get to decorate them and make them pretty with frosting and sprinkles. 

I also love chocolate. That one's pretty self explanatory. And I began to wonder a few months ago what it would be like to combine the two??? Amazeballs. That's what. They were so good, I took them to our Friendsmas and did a "decorate your own" and they were mostly gone that night. Then I took them to my in-laws and they were most definitely gone. Very quickly.

I found the recipe from Smitten Kitchen and they turned out great. A fun new twist on the classic Christmas sugar cookies. Here's the recipe:

Chocolate Sugar Cookies

// 350 degrees // 8-11 minutes //

Ingredients

3 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup butter, softened (I used sweet cream butter)

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

Directions

1. Mix butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and cocoa

2. Add in flour, salt, baking powder (recipes usually say to combine the flour mixture first, but I never do and it usually turns out fine!) and mix until smooth

3. Wrap and place in fridge to chill for an hour or so

4. Roll out dough using flour so it won't stick.

5. Cut in desired shapes

6. Bake on parchment-lined baking sheet for 8-11 minutes

7. Enjoy!

Soft & Chewy Molasses Cookies

Molasses cookies have to be one of my favorite cookies. Of all time. My mom made them when I was growing up, usually around Christmas. Molasses cookies are one of those cookies that are like comfort food to me and are always delicious when you eat them warm with a hot cup of cider/coffee/tea. Yum. 

Seriously, you should make these this holiday season. They are so soft and chewy and have the best flavor. I made them last weekend and the whole batch was gone in a day. One day! Don't worry. We had friends over. It wasn't just us (although it very well could have been). Here's my mom's super good recipe for Molasses Cookies.

Peanut Butter Cups

Happy Monday! I can't believe it's already October!!! I hope you all had a lovely weekend. I was so glad Zachy was home for the weekend! We ended up just hanging out and doing normal stuff. Having him gone all week sure makes it nice to just have him here to do the normal things. Saturday we went down to Puyallup to watch my brother coach his team to victory (Go Linfield!). It was a beautiful day and we met my parents there to cheer them on. After the game, we went to Home Depot and got supplies for a super awesome project that hopefully I'll be sharing soon! It was definitely a learning experience for both of us... 

Snickers Peanut Butter & Chocolate Cookies

You heard me. These cookies are packed with yummy goodness - they're essentially two cookies in one and they taste just as good as Channing Tatum looked in Magic Mike. Yeah, that good. I found the recipe via Pinterest on the blog Bakergirl (originally adapted from Picky Palate). I wanted something with Snickers in it, since that's the hubby's favorite candy. These turned out to be the perfect combo!

S'mores Cookies: The Perfect Summer Cookie

Happy Monday! How was your weekend? Ours was lazy, which was just what I needed to recover from a stressful last week. We watched a lot of Lost. A. Lot. Of. It. We're on season two now... it is so good! Have you seen it? Don't tell me anything! :)

I made these cookies this weekend for a little get together with friends and they were a hit! Pinterest came through again. It always does. It's not like I'm surprised. These cookies were really really really good. Like, win the lottery good. Like, give away your first born good. Well let's not go that far, but they are deeeee-licious. 

I got the original recipe from Kevin & Amanda and I only did two things differently: I used regular graham crackers instead of cinnamon and regular mini mallows instead of the mallow bites. Otherwise, this is some of the best cookie dough I've had. Seriously yummy. These might become our favorite "summer" cookie this year. They have the same flavor of s'mores with a lot less of the messiness! 

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies (w/White Chocolate Chips)

The weather is definitely changing and lately I've been having a craving for all things pumpkin. I found this recipe on Pinterest and these cookies are quickly becoming one of my new favorites. So chewy and delicious and pumpkin-y. Yum. I took some to work and two different people said they were the best cookies they've ever had! Here's the recipe (from My Baking Addiction):

//350 degrees // 12-14 minutes // makes 48 //

Ingredients
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 cup pure pumpkin puree
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup white chocolate chips

Directions
1. Preheat oven and line cookie sheet with parchment paper (I had never used parchment paper before, but it worked great!)
2. Combine flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in a separate bowl.
3. Beat butter, brown sugar and white sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Add pumpkin, egg and vanilla extract. Combine with flour mixture.
4. Stir in white chocolate chips.
5. Drop on to cookie sheet in rounded balls.
6. Bake 12-14 minutes or until lightly browned.

And here's some more pictures just because I like to take pictures of cookies.