What’s for Dessert?

Chocolate Chip Sugar Cookies

I usually make chocolate chip cookies based on oatmeal cookies. But I like sugar cookies, and I like shortbread, and stumbled across this recipe that combines those two and adds chocolate chips. They’re awesome!

I found this recipe on Let’s Dish , but modified it a bit to use Mini M&Ms and added almond extract. Also, I found it takes 11 minutes with my oven to cook the cookies, not 8-10; they don’t get done with 8-10 minues. But remember, every oven is different. I’ve checked the temperature on mine with an oven thermometer, so I’m pretty sure it’s accurate.

I’ve also used cookie scoops for this recipe. It makes it easier to get same-sized cookies, and is less messy. You can get an inexpensive set on Amazon for about $23. See link below. They’re great for other purposes, too, like making stuffed mushrooms.

I use extra-large 11″x17″ cookie sheets, and similarly-sized silicon mats. That lets me fit 15 cookies per sheet, and the silicon mats make sure they don’t stick. They also make the clean-up a snap.

The recipe calls for the butter to be at room temperature. This means leave the butter on the counter for about an hour before using it. Do NOT leave it out overnight, since it will be too soft. Also, do not try to “warm” it in the microwave–it will be too soft on the outside and still hard on the inside. The butter should be just soft enough that your finger leaves an impression when you press against it. When you whip butter at this level of softness, it aereates the sugars and gives you softer cookies.

Chocolate Chip Sugar Cookies

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 48 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Servings 60 cookies

Equipment

• 1 Medium cookie scoop (#40/2TBSP/2OZ)  Optional, but makes it easier to get uniform cookies.
• 2 2 Cookie sheets, so you can load one while the other cooks I used four 11×17 sheets
• 2 Silicon backing mats Optional, but it makes cleanup a snap and the cookies don't stick.

Ingredients

  

• 1 C butter at room temperature
• 1 C Cooking Oil Canola oil by preference
• 1 C Powdered Sugar
• 1 C Granulated sugar
• 2 TSP Vanilla exract
• 1 TSP Almond extract
• 4.25 C Flour
• 1 TSP Cream of tartar
• 1 TSP Baking soda
• 1/2 TSP salt
• 2.5 C Mini M&Ms
• 2.5 C Chopped Pecans Mr. Gene likes pecans, but I prefer walnuts

Instructions

 

• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
• Cream the sugars, butter, and oil together.
• Add the eggs one at a time. Mix thoroughly
• Mix in the vanilla and almond extract.
• Sift the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt together.
• Add the dry ingredients in thirds to the sugars and eggs, mixing after each addition
• Add the nuts and the M&Ms, mixing on low or with a wooden spoon
• Use Medium cookie scoop (#40/2TBPS/2OZ) to place cookies on sheet. Slightly flatten with a fork.
• Bake for 11-12 minutes. Check cookies–they should be slightly brown on the bottom. Cookies will slightly flatten and spread while they cook.
• Cool on the cookie sheet for at least ten minutes, then on wire rack. The cookies are fragile when they first come out of the oven, so let them set up before removing them from the rack.