Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Bars

Looking for something quick and delicious to take to a Memorial Day barbecue?  Look no further.  These Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Bars will be the first thing gone.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Bars
(My Kitchen Cafe) adapted from 24 Hour Menu

1 3/4 cup flour
3/4 tsp soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup oatmeal
3/4 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
12 ounces semi sweet chocolate chunks
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional – I left these out)

Preheat oven to 375. Whisk together dry ingredients and set aside. Beat butter, sugars, egg and vanilla till fluffy and add dry ingredients. Stir in chocolate chunks and walnuts. Press into a greased 9×13 inch pan and bake for 18-20 minutes until light golden brown. I have also doubled the recipe and pressed into a large sheet pan (11X17) with great results.

{cooks note}

Do not overbake these.  If anything, underbake slightly for the best results.

Jacques Torres's Secret Chocolate Chip Cookies

Jacques Torres's Secret Chocolate Chip Cookies
from marthastewart.com recipes


1 pound unsalted butter
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
2 1/4 cups packed light-brown sugar
4 large eggs
3 cups plus 2 tablespoons pastry flour
3 cups bread flour
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 pounds best quality semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line baking sheets with parchment or non-stick baking mats; set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugars.  Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Reduce speed to low and add both flours, baking powder, baking soda, vanilla, and chocolate; mix until well combined.

Using a 4-ounce scoop for larger cookies or a 1-ounce scoop for smaller cookies, scoop cookie dough onto prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart.  Bake until lightly browned, but still soft, about 20 minutes for larger cookies and 15 minutes for smaller cookies.  Cool slightly on baking sheets before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

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{cooks note}

These are by far the BEST chocolate chip cookies I have had to date.  I made 3 different recipes for chocolate chip cookies in a 3 week span and decided to stop because these are the best.  I am tired of all the recipes out there that end up cakey (one's with pudding, etc.)  Those are fine, but these are better to me.  Similar to the chocolate chippers at Paradise Bakery.  My sister introduced me to this recipe a couple of years ago and I haven't looked back since.  They are that good.  The good news is, they freeze really well.  I scoop them out (I use a 1 1/2" cookies scoop) and place them close together, but not quite touching, on a parchment lined baking sheet. I don't have a big enough freezer to fit my pan into freeze them, so I put the pan in the refrigerator (covered).  A few hours later I transfer them to a zip lock bag. I  used the empty bag from my chocolate chips that I had been saving from another recipe. It's one of the big bags you buy at Costco, so it fit a lot.  When ready to cook, heat the oven to 375 and bake for 15 minutes.  You might have to adjust the time according to how your oven cooks and your elevation.  PLEASE READ:  I did a test on the cookie dough. I baked a batch right after mixing them.  They were good, but not that good.  I then put them in the refrigerator and let them get nice and cold.  I baked them and they were SO much better.  The shape is better as well as the flavors.  The fat (butter) has time to get really cold in the fridge, so when you bake them the fat is able to melt slower and disperse throughout the cookie.  Trust me, they are good. They are equally as good coming out of the freezer to the oven too.  This recipe makes a lot, so that is why I freeze almost the whole batch. When we have friends over or we are in the mood for cookies, I pull the bag out, place them on a cookies sheet, bake them and BAM we have homemade chocolate chip cookies in a cinch!  You need to make sure you use pastry flour and bread flour.  The only pastry flour I have been able to find is whole wheat pastry flour.  I love the flavor and it makes the cookies a little more healthy, right?  Just don't over cook them.  The wheat in them will absorb a lot of moisture, so be sure to take them out just as they are starting to brown on the top.  Oh, and please use a good quality chocolate like the recipe states.

 The only wheat I have been able to find.  You can also grind your own.  Just use a very fine setting on your wheat grinder.

 The big bag I use to store the cookies in in the freezer.

The frozen cookies.

Let me know what you think.

Oatmeal Cookies

Oatmeal Cookies

from my friend Ashley

1 cup butter

1 cup shortening

2 cups granulated sugar

2 cups brown sugar

4 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

4-5 cups whole wheat flour, or white flour (add last cup gradually as needed to make stiff dough)

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons salt

4 cups rolled oats

Cream butters and sugars.  Add eggs and mix just till eggs are fully mixed in, do not over mix.  Add other ingredients. Bake for 9 minutes at 350.  Let cool on pan for 2 minutes.  Place on rack to cool.

Recipe can be halved.

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{cooks note}

I do not like really flat oatmeal cookies.  A good recipe is hard to come by...until now, my friends.  This is THE recipe!  They do not turn out flat.  I have not made this recipe yet with whole wheat flour, but next time I am going to do half whole wheat and half white.  I use 4 1/2 cups flour and that seems to be a good measurement for me.  Every elevation and oven will cook differently, so you will have to determine what is best for your situation.  I like to freeze these in wax paper in logs.  I cut them about 3/4" thick right out of the freezer and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake them for about 1-2 minutes longer than if they had not been frozen.  I bake some out of the freezer last night and they were great.  My boys got a bag of M&M's for Christmas from their great grandma.  I stuck them in the freezer and decided to let them put the M&M's on the cookies for a little extra treat. They had a great time doing this, but the M&M's are not a requirement.

Now please excuse me while I suffer all day with my allergies.  Anyone else dealing with this?

This cookie dough is really good.  I usually am not a cookie dough eater, but this stuff is good.

See?  My daughter seems to think it is good too.  She was sitting in between the boys cookie sheets and somehow managed to pull Carter's sheet over to her and grab a ball of dough.  I was busy doing something else and the scream of Carter called me to attention  What can I say, she takes after her mother.

A new texture for that little mouth of gums.

She wasn't very happy with me when I took it all away from her.  After this, Cody was afraid she might get salmonella poisoning because the dough had touched her mouth. I assured him that his precious little daughter would be fine.

The work of my boys.

This is our I roll my dough up in the wax paper.  Be sure to twist the ends before you store them in the freezer.  After I make all of my logs, I place them in a gallon freezer zip lock bag to ensure they stay fresh.

These are kind of healthy for you too (wink, wink).  Four cups of oatmeal is better than nothing.  Just don't pay attention to the other ingredients on the list.  

Peanut Butter Cookies

Peanut Butter Cookies

from smittenkitchen (revised on 3/17/10)

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup peanut butter at room temperature 

3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon (for sprinkling) sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 large egg, at room temperature

1 tablespoon milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup peanut butter chips

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, the baking soda, the baking powder, and the salt.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the butter and the peanut butter together until fluffy.  Add the sugars, and beat until smooth. Add the egg and mix well.  Add the milk and the vanilla extract.  Add the flour mixture and beat thoroughly.  Stir in the peanut butter chips.  Place sprinkling sugar on a plate.  Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls into the sugar, then onto ungreased cookie sheets, leaving several inches between for expansion.  Using a fork, lightly indent with a crisscross pattern, but do not overly flatten cookies.  Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.  Do not overbake.  Cookies may appear to be underdone, but they are not.  

Cook cookies on the sheets for 1 minute, then remove to a rack to cool completely.

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{cooks note}

I was introduced to these cookies a couple of years ago and since then, they have been on the top of my list for one of the best cookies.  I mean, you can't go wrong with a cookie that includes peanut butter chips, peanut butter and possibly actual peanuts.  Oh, and not to mention the chocolate chips.  I usually double this recipe and stick a bunch in the freezer for a later date. Later date meaning:  I eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner until they are gone.

The ingredients.  I always use a high quality chocolate chip in my baking.  To me, it makes a difference.  My specific brand of choice is Ghirardelli.

All of the wet ingredients.  I use 1/2 cup chunky peanut butter and 1/2 cup smooth. I like to mix things up a bit.

Roll the top of the dough in sugar, or the entire thing, like I do.

Place on parchment lined baking sheets.  Sometimes I flatten mine with a fork or the bottom of a cup, and sometimes I don't.  This time around, I decided not to do anything.

Notice how the cookies are not browned on the top.  If they are, that means you have overcooked them.  You want them to be slightly underdone.  Trust me. 

Enjoy!

Farm House Cookies

Farm House Cookies

from my Grandma Betty

1 cup butter

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon soda

4 teaspoons baking powder

4 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

Cream butter and sugar together.  Add eggs one at a time, continuing to beat.  Add sour cream and vanilla.  Sift dry ingredients and add to creamed mixture.  Roll on canvas or floured surface fairly thick.  Cut with large round cutter.  Bake at 350 for 15 to 18 minutes.  These cookies should be large, soft and thick.

Quick Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

from Gale Gand

3 cups confectioner's sugar

1 cup butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 to 2 tablespoons whipping cream

In a standing mixer fitted with a whisk, mix together sugar and butter.  Mix on low speed until well blended and then increase speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes.  Add vanilla and cream and continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute more, adding more cream if needed for spreading consistency.

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{cooks note}

These cookies are similar to sugar cookies.  They are extremely soft because of the sour cream.  I have never tried them with low-fat sour cream, so try at your own risk.  I say, if you are making sweets, go all the way baby.  I rolled my dough out to be pretty thick. You can experiment and see what thickness you prefer, but these cookies are better thick.  I chilled my dough for about a half hour since it was pretty sticky just after mixing.  Don't be afraid to use a lot of flour when rolling these out if you decide not to chill them.  I've done it before and it works out just great if you use enough flour.  I lay my cookies on parchment paper to cook.  I also add some lemon extract to the frosting for a hint of lemon flavor. 

The ingredients.  I realize this is a fuzzy picture.  Sorry.

Creamed butter and sugar using my Bosch cookie paddles.

I add all of the ingredients that need to be sifted in my sifter and place the sifter on top of a plate so the flour doesn't fall out onto my counter everywhere.  Just a little tip I thought you might like to know.

After adding all the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.

I used flour and a rolling pin to roll my cookies out.  I cut them out using two different sizes of heart cookie cutters which were fairly large.

As you can see, you want to use plenty of flour.

Ready for the oven.

See how thick they are?  That is what you want.  

For the buttercream frosting, I used my wire whips.

Frosting bowl number 1 ready for yellow food coloring.

Frosting bowl number 2 ready for pink food coloring.  Doesn't that look like the mountain on The Grinch Who Stole Christmas?  I couldn't resist.

The cookies all gussied up.

The frosting really is delicious.

This would be a fun Valentine's Day activity for your children.  If your children are like mine, they like to push the cookie cutter down in the dough a few times and then call it quits.  I guess it's much cleaner that way, right?

Chocolate Rolo Cookies

Chocolate Rolo Cookies

from my mom

1 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 1/2 cups flour

2/3 cup cocoa

1 teaspoon soda

1 1/2 bags Rolo candy

chopped nuts (optional)

Cream butter and sugars.  Mix in eggs and vanilla.  Add flour, cocoa, and soda.  Chill 1-2 hours.  Take 1 tablespoon dough and wrap around a Rolo candy (about walnut size).  Roll cookie in chopped nuts and place on cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 9-10 minutes. Makes 60 cookies.

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{cooks note}

When making cookies I like using a cookie scoop.  I used a 1" scoop on these.  I like my cookies perfectly round if I can help it.  I also like using parchment paper.  It can be reused over and over and there is no washing of pans when you are done.  Clean up is a cinch!  Please don't over mix.  You will end up with cake-like cookies.  Those are never good in my opinion.  I make a few different variations of these cookies. Nuts, no nuts, Rolos, no Rolos, carmel drizzled on top and ice cream sandwiches.  Let's begin, shall we?

The ingredients.  I'm obsessed with glass mixing bowls, by the way.

This recipe calls for granulated sugar and brown sugar.

Cream butter and sugars together.  Add the rest of ingredients as recipe directs.

Baking sheets lined with crisp white parchment paper.  

Chopped almonds.

Chopped pecans.

Unwrap your Rolos so you are ready to go once the dough has been chilled for 1-2 hours.  This is a great job for a 4 year old.  Mine only asked for 1 Rolo and he didn't eat any more than that. If I had given that job to my 2 year old, they would have all been gone.

My 1" cookie scoop.  I love these things.  

Scoop your dough up.  Isn't it perfect?

Place the Rolo in the middle of the dough.

Press firmly down with your thumb.

Can you see how far down the Rolo is?  Let me give you another view.

Is that better?  You need it far enough in so you can cover the top with dough.  You want the Rolo in the middle.  

Squeeze the dough out into your hand and cover the Rolo up.

Roll the top in nuts.  If nuts aren't your thing, by all means, leave them off.  One of my children likes nuts, the other doesn't, so I make both.

With nuts...

without nuts.

I use this handy little spatula to take my cookies off. It's just the right size.  Have I ever told you I am obsessed with kitchen utensils and supplies?  Well, I am.

When they are out of the oven, take one off the cookie sheet and take a big bite like this.  Can you see the caramel inside?  It's there, trust me. 

Now, if you want to drizzle caramel over the top, take a few caramels and add about 1-2 teaspoons of heavy cream.  Melt in the microwave and drizzle on top.  

Isn't that perdy?

I also make some without Rolos and turn them into ice cream sandwiches.  I mean, who doesn't love a homemade ice cream sandwich? This picture isn't the best.  I went delete happy last night when I was going over all my photos and lost some better ones. I've been having a lot of accidents lately.  My latest one being today.  I'm so embarrassed. 

Now go make these scrumptious cookies for your Valentine.