cookie

Everyday Chocolate Chip Cookies

May 9, 2020 by Alyssa

Everyday Chocolate Chip Cookies are the classic chocolate chip cookies from my childhood. It’s the recipe my Mom made my entire life and in honor of Mother’s Day, I’m sharing it with you.

To perfect these cookies, be sure to use brand-specific ingredients as listed.

Some recipes aren’t meant to be changed. In fact, changing them, modifying ingredients, attempting to make them healthy, might actually be WRONG.

Case in fact: my Mom’s chocolate chip cookie recipe and what I consider, my Everyday Chocolate Chip Cookies.

When you want your mother’s chocolate chip cookies, you may be craving chocolate….but you may also be craving comfort.

And during this time of uncertainty, I’m sure we can all use a little comfort.

Some of us are away from family, worried about the future, concerned about jobs, or stressed because we’re balancing the needs to homeschooling with work, finances, and this new everyday life.

In those cases, we need some comfort. And these Everyday Chocolate Chip Cookies are just that. Comfort.

Food Evokes Memories

My mom’s chocolate chip cookies are my comfort food. I specifically remember a time in college when I came home one weekend, devastated and upset by an event that happened [something that I look back on now as trivial but at the time viewed as detrimental].

When I arrived home that morning, my mom was in the kitchen baking chocolate chip cookies. I sat at the kitchen table with a glass of milk, ate warm chocolate chip cookies, and cried while I talked to my mom about what was bothering me. And afterward, I felt better.

Yes, sharing my thoughts with my mom while eating her warm, fresh out of the oven chocolate chip cookies, made me feel better.

It’s often stated that you shouldn’t comfort yourself or hide your feelings with food – but there’s always an exception. And in those cases — like as today in this pandemic, isolating world, my mom’s chocolate chips cookies are love in the physical form.

They are comfort and they make people feel better. I mean, they aren’t magical but I’m damn sure you’ll feel better after eating them.

So when I need some comforting and I’m miles away from my mom (which is always or at least has been for the past 10 years) but yearning for her comfort and a hug – her cookies are the closest thing I get to feeling that embrace.

I’ve also learned that in order for them to truly be comforting, they need to be made using the exact same brands of ingredients she uses. Using an alternate will not deliver the same taste, love, or comfort. They’ll still be delicious, so go for it, but they won’t be exactly like my mom’s.

The Original Recipe

So, in honor of Mother’s Day this weekend, here’s my mom’s chocolate chip cookie recipe, the Everyday Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe with the exact brands you need to make them taste just like my mom’s comforting, loving hug in cookie form.

Tip from mom, for perfectly round and evenly sized cookies, use this scoop, the 1.5 tablespoon which is what’s used for making this recipe.

Enjoy, and Happy Mother’s Day.

Mom's Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

11 mins

Total time

26 mins

Author: Alyssa

Serves: 4 dozen

Ingredients

½ cup butter flavored Crisco
½ cup Land O'Lakes unsalted butter**
1 cup domino Granulated sugar
½ cup, packed Domino light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp McCormick Pure Vanilla Extract (brown color, not clear!)
2½ cups Gold Medal All-Purpose Flour, sifted
1 tsp Arm & Hammer Baking Soda
1 tsp salt [table salt, none of that fancy sea stuff]
12 ounces Nestle Semi-Sweet Morsels*
1 cup Nestle Premier White Chocolate Morsels, optional
½ cup chopped walnuts, optional

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F (I bake on the convection setting, adjust accordingly for your own oven if you do not)
In a stand mixer, cream together Crisco, butter, sugars, and vanilla until light & fluffy (like really let the combine for 2-3 minutes). Scrape down the sides of the bowl
Beat in eggs, one at a time.
In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and salt.
Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture (in 2 - 3 additions)
Fold in chocolate chips and nuts, if using.
Place 1.5 tablespoon-sized mounds on a cookie sheet lined with parchment or a silicone baking mat and bake for 10-11 minutes or until lightly golden in color. (It's best to rotate the sheet halfway through baking to ensure cookies are evenly browned.)
Let cookies cool slightly on the tray (1-2 minutes). Then move to a cooling rack to cool completely. These cookies are best eaten warm, minutes out of the oven.
Store leftover cookies in a sealed container at room temperature for a week or freeze for up to 3 months.

Notes

*My mom actually used 12 ounces Nestle Semi-Sweet Morsels and 1 cup Nestle Semi-Sweet & Premier White Chocolate Morsels but these are often difficult to find. An adequate replacement would be to sub 1 cup of Nestle Premier White Chocolate Morsels.

** If you can't find Land O'Lakes, just be sure to use unsalted butter or if you do use salted butter, adjust the salt to ½ teaspoon instead of 1 full teaspoon.

***My mom would also, sometimes, add in chopped walnuts. If you like nuts in your chocolate chip cookies, add in a ½ cup chopped walnuts when folding in the chocolate chips.

Best Ever Bakery-Style Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

January 3, 2020 by Alyssa

Big, delicious, bakery-style Oatmeal Raisin Cookies that are soft yet chewy, loaded with plump raisins, warm spices & a touch of molasses. I promise you, someday these will be world-famous.

This post was originally published on November 14, 2016 and updated with new photos in January 3, 2020.

I understand oatmeal cookies may not sound that exciting but I’m gonna to need you to trust me on this one because these truly are the Best Ever Oatmeal Raisin Cookies.

Think big, delicious, bakery-style Oatmeal Raisin Cookies.

They’re soft yet chewy, loaded with plump raisins, warm spices and a touch of molasses. They’re like a warm hug from your Mom after a bad day at school. They’re like being wrapped in a warm blanket fresh out of the dryer. They’re like sitting in front of a fireplace on a cold winter night.

They are comfort food.

They are Oatmeal Raisin Cookie perfection.

Before diving in to create the Best Ever Oatmeal Raisin Cookie, I did a lot of research. The thing with oatmeal raisin cookies is that they can often lean closer to the muffin-top side of the spectrum rather than the cookie side.

I’ve eaten way too many oatmeal raisin cookies that are too fluffy and too moist. I knew my oatmeal raisin cookies had to be tender yet chewy. To achieve this, I made sure to load it will rolled oats rather than quick oats. Using rolled oats ensured that even when the oats soaked up some of the wet ingredients, they still maintained a small bite, giving the cookies added texture and chew once baked.

Hydrate Your Raisins

Oatmeal raisin cookies also tend to have hard little raisins spotted throughout them that have dried out during the baking process. And sometimes, you might only get ONE raisin in an oatmeal raisin cookie which is simply unforgivable.

To avoid this, I used one and a half cups of raisins and made sure to plump up my raisins before adding them to the cookie dough. To plump up the raisins, I rehydrated them by letting them soak in a hot water bath while the rest of the ingredients were prepped. This ensured the raisins were plump and chewy and didn’t shrink up into hard little dots while baking.

Molasses & Warm Spices

I also wanted an oatmeal raisin cookie that was rich in flavor while being warm and toasty. I achieved this by adding a greater portion of brown sugar than white, granulated sugar and upping the toasty notes with a tad of molasses.

This also increased the chewiness of the cookie when combined with the rolled oats. Lastly, to bring it on home, rather than simply adding cinnamon to the dough, I used cinnamon along with a hint of nutmeg and clove to round out the warming spices and add depth to the overall flavor.

Bakery Style Means Extra Large

For maximum cookie enjoyment, I also made sure to weigh out the cookie dough into 2-ounce portions prior to baking. These resulted in cookies that were about palm-size once finished, just like you’d find at a local bakery.

Once baked, these oatmeal raisin cookies turn golden brown from the molasses, the oats become slightly chewy and the raisins stay soft and plump. They’re perfect for dunking!

In my opinion, these are the Best Ever Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. And, although you may think 1 is enough, I won’t judge you for sneaking a 2nd or 3rd, I know I did!

Looking for more bakery-style cookies? Check out my favorite Monster Cookie recipe.

5.0 from 4 reviews

Best Ever Bakery-Style Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

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Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

45 mins

Big, delicious, bakery-style Oatmeal Raisin Cookies that are soft yet chewy, loaded with plump raisins, warm spices & a touch of molasses.

Author: Alyssa

Serves: 24

Ingredients

¾ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon molasses*
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 cups rolled oats**
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1½ cups raisins
2 cups boiling water

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350* and line cookie sheets with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper, set aside
Place the raisins in a small bowl and pour boiling water on top. Immediately cover with plastic wrap to keep in the heat and set aside while you assemble the dough
In a mediums size bowl, mix together flour, oats, spices, baking soda, and salt, set aside
In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy
Add in the vanilla extract and 1 egg at a time until fully combined with the mixer on medium-low
With the mixer on medium-low, drizzle in the molasses until fully combined.
Scrape down the sides and prepare to add the dry ingredients
Add in the dry ingredients (the oat-flour mixture) in three separate additions, ensuring each is fully combined before adding the next
Strain the raisins to remove the water and using the back of a wooden spoon, lightly press down on the raisins to squeeze out as much of the water as you can***
Add the raisins to the cookie dough and gently combine with the mixer on low or by hand using a wooden spoon.
Using a 2-ounce scoop, place mounds of cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheets, allowing about 2 inches between each dough placement
Using the palm of your hand or the flat bottom of a glass, press down on the cookie dough mounds until they are about half their original size
Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 15-17 minutes until golden brown
Once baked, let the cookies cool for an additional 1-2 minutes on the tray before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely
Cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 week or frozen for up to 3 months

Notes

* Be sure to use dark molasses but not blackstrap molasses. I prefer Grandma's molasses to cook with.

** Ensure the oats are Rolled Oats. These are not the same as Quick Oats and they are not Steel Cut Oats.

*** You don't want to add water to your cookies so removing as much excess water from the raisins prior to adding them to the cookie dough is extremely important

Best Holiday Cookies: 21 Holiday Cookie Exchange Recipes

December 1, 2017 by Alyssa

Inspired by the holiday cookie trays of my childhood, here’s a round-up of the 21 best holiday cookies you should consider for your holiday cookie exchange or when putting together a cookie tray for all the season’s gatherings!

For the past few years, I’ve led the charge organizing a holiday cookie exchange at my office. And if I’m being honest, part of the reason I do so is a bit self-serving.

I love to bake and am always looking for a reason to do so. But I also love to taste a ton of cookies and treats, and on the day of the holiday cookie exchange, it’s the one time a year that I eat myself into a cookie-fueled sugar coma.

As we’re nearing the holiday season, I’ve rounded my favorite cookies recipes, creating my ideal cookie tray in preparation for your holiday cookie exchange. These recipes are a combination of cookies my Mom used to make for me while growing up as well as a few new favorites that I’ve thrown in!

Hopefully, you’ll find some inspiration in these cookie recipes if you’re participating in a holiday cookie exchange or putting together a cookie tray of your own to share at holiday gatherings.

21 Holiday Cookie Exchange Recipes

Seven Layer Magic Cookie Bars I love these bars because they’re sweet, crunchy and full of chocolate, nuts and a graham cracker base!

Mexican Wedding Cookies It’s like these were made for holiday cookie plates, they look like little snowballs!

Gingerbread or my own Chinese Five Spice Gingerbread if you’re looking for a modern twist.

Chocolate Andes Mint Cookies These have a chewy, brownie-like center that make them ridiculously addicting. I love to freeze these and eat them straight from the freezer.

Classic Cutout Cookies This recipe links to my Valentine’s Day cookie post but the recipe is one I use every season. I love this classic cutout cookie recipe because it requires NO CHILL TIME. Which in my opinion, is super important during the holidays because when you want cookies, you don’t want to wait for 2-hours for the dough to chill out.

Peanut Butter Blossoms but please make these with the Brach’s Chocolate Stars rather than a Hershey Kiss. I promise you, the stars are SO much better for these cookies. They’re easier to eat and you’re able to get a taste of chocolate in every bite.

Ginger Cookies What’s the holidays without some ginger? These have candied ginger throughout and they’re great for dunking.

White Chocolate Raspberry Bars Is there anything better than a shortbread bar with raspberry and white chocolate chunks? These are so good you can eat them for breakfast. Or, try a spin-off of these bars with my Raspberry Coffee Cake

And because every cookie tray needs a few classics, how about Oatmeal Raisin, Snickerdoodles, or Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Toffee Bar Cookies If you love Heath Bars, these Toffee Bar Cookies are made for you! With a shortbread base, a layer of chocolate and toffee bits they’re heaven!

Peppermint Mocha Cookies These are always a favorite because they’re so festive! Chocolate cookies that have been dipped in white chocolate and rolled in candy canes.

Crinkle Cookies Another chewy, chocolate cookie that looks as if it’s been dusted with snow!

Mocha Chocolate Drop Cookies Chocolate with a slight hint of coffee. You’ll want to eat these while drinking your coffee Christmas morning and opening gifts!

And since you can’t have a cookie tray without a few other sweet nibbly bites, here are a few other treats that you should consider making.

I find these additions are great for filling the blank crevices that piles of cookies sometimes leave or make a great addition sprinkled around the border of the tray. Plus, incorporating some non-cookie treats ensure there’s something for everyone when you bring your cookie tray to share!

Buckeyes This may be foreign to you as I think buckeyes may be a Northeastern dessert. But if you love peanut butter and chocolate these are for you! They’re like a big ball of peanut butter (similar to what you’d find in Reese’s pumpkins at Halloween) that have been dipped into chocolate. It’s splendidly delicious.

Chocolate Fudge My Mom used to make this fudge recipe with marshmallow fluff and it’s amazing. Pretty much a no-fail fudge recipe. It’s a silky, smooth, sweet fudge!

Caramel Popcorn Don’t be intimidated here, it’s worth the effort. My mom incorporated nuts into her recipe and it’s perfect for munching.

Spiced Nuts Remember those nuts you get at carnivals or country fairs? You can make them at home and they’re oh so easy.

Peppermint Bark This is perfect when you’re in a pinch. It’s as simple as melting chocolate and sprinkling it with crushed candy canes!

What Trash Are you familiar with this? My Mom’s friend is known for making this every year. My favorite part is picking out the pieces of Chex Mix that fully covered in white chocolate…and the M&M’s of course. You can make a bit more festive by using red and green M&M’s!

Funfetti Cake Batter Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches

August 1, 2017 by Alyssa

Funfetti Cake Batter Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches pair the classic flavors of vanilla sugar cookies with craveable cake batter ice cream and a mountain of sprinkles to create the perfect summertime treat.

There’s seriously something about sprinkles and birthday cake flavored treats that make me so ridiculously happy. Like a little kid who just got a bike happy. Like a 5 year old ON her birthday eating cake and ice cream, happy. And these Funfetti Cake Batter Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches are just that. They are the definition of ‘You can have your ~~cake~~ cookie & eat it too!’

I’ve taken the classic sugar cookie, loaded it with TWO kinds of sprinkles, a heavy pour of vanilla and stuffed them with cake batter ice cream which is loaded with even MORE sprinkles.

It’s sprinkles, on sprinkles, on sprinkles! And what better time to enjoy a colorful, ice cream cookie sandwich than in the midst of a summer heatwave!

In addition to sprinkles, my Funfetti Cake Batter Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches also feature Halo Top Birthday Cake ice cream which has an abundance of sprinkles itself!

If you haven’t guessed by now, I really love cake batter flavored desserts that come loaded with sprinkles (as evident with my Cake Batter Cheesecake and No-Bake Cake Batter Cake Balls) which made Halo Top’s Birthday Cake ice cream an easy choice for this dessert.

Around the web & blogosphere, Halo Top has been promoted as a healthy ice cream and although it does have less sugar & fat and more protein that the Ben & Jerry’s sitting next to it in the freezer aisle, let’s be real here — ice cream is not a health food.

Is it part of a healthy diet? YES! Eating ice cream is good for your mental health, it’s a food that probably brings you joy and if you like ice cream, you should eat it! If you’re looking for an ice cream that ‘isn’t as bad as all the others’ than Halo Top is your jam.

And in my opinion, Halo Top is pretty darn delicious when compared to other lighter ice creams on the market. I’ve tried a few flavors of Halo Top but the Cake Batter flavor is definitely my favorite and it inspired my Funfetti Cake Bater Ice Cream Sandwiches! The Cake Batter flavor pairs perfectly with the chewy, vanilla, sprinkle-filled sugar cookies and together with the buttery, melty ice cream, creates a (birthday) party in your mouth!

If you’re really into sprinkles, feel free to roll the Funfetti Cake Batter Ice Cream Sandwiches into sprinkles before serving! Because let’s be honest, there’s no such think as too many sprinkles.

5.0 from 4 reviews

Funfetti Cake Batter Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches

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Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

60 mins

Total time

1 hour 20 mins

Author: Alyssa

Serves: 12

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1½ cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
2½ teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup colorful sprinkles
2 tablespoons rainbow nonpareils
2 pints Halo Top Birthday Cake ice cream

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350*F
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicon baking mats and set aside.
In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the softened butter until creamy, about 2-3 minutes.
Add in the granulated sugar and beat again until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Add in all of the vanilla and 1 egg at a time, thoroughly mixing before adding the next egg.
In three separate additions, add the flour mixture to the butter, sugar, and eggs thoroughly combining the flour before the next addition.
Remove the mixing bowl from electric mixer. Lightly grease your hands with a touch of vegetable oil or softened butter and mix in both the sprinkles and nonpareils by hand.
You may need to knead the dough lightly in the bowl to fully distribute the sprinkles throughout the dough and combine any remaining bits of flour at the bottom of the bowl.
Once the sprinkles are fully combined, scoop out mounded tablespoons of dough and place them on the prepared baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Lightly pat each dough ball down into a half-inch disk. Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes until lightly golden and the center is just set.
Remove from oven and let cool 2-3 minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
To assemble the ice cream sandwiches, place 2-3 tablespoons of ice cream on one cooled Fufetti Cookie and top with the second, pressing down lightly to secure.
If you’re feeling frisky, roll the ice cream part of the sandwich in additional sprinkles for decorations. Serve immediately.

Notes

Cookies themselves will keep 5-7 days at room temperature in a tightly closed container or frozen for 2-3 months.

My Perfect Cookie: Double Chocolate Chip Sea Salt Cookies

June 4, 2017 by Alyssa

Double Chocolate Chip Sea Salt Cookies are cookie perfection — slightly crisp yet chewy, loaded with two types of chocolate and a pinch sea salt.

If I could make a list of my most prized (dessert) recipes, it would be a toss-up between these Double Chocolate Chip Sea Salt Cookies and my Bakery-Style Oatmeal Raisin Cookies.

Now, I know what you’re thinking, another chocolate chip cookie recipe? Does the world really need another chocolate chip cookie recipe?

Yes, yes it does because it doesn’t have THIS one. This one, I promise you, will be your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe.

This chocolate chip cookie recipe is slightly crisp on the outside, chewy in the middle, loaded with two types of chocolate and a pinch of sea salt.

It’s chocolate chip cookie perfection.

Growing up, my Mom had a go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe. And, as much as I love Mom’s cookie recipe, it wasn’t my to die for chocolate chip cookie recipe. I mean, it’s realllyyyy good, it’s nostalgic, and if my Mom sends me some, I’m definitely eating at least 3 or 4 of them because I miss my Mom and eating her food helps me feel closer to her.

But if I’m craving a chocolate chip cookie and willing to make my own, I’m totally making my recipe for Double Chocolate Chip Sea Salt Cookies. Not only because it’s delicious but because it’s the easiest recipe!

The secret to this recipe is in the eggs & sugar. Rather than using two whole eggs, my recipe uses 2 egg yolks and 1 whole egg. The addition of the egg yolks makes the cookies richer and chewier in the middle when baked.

When it comes to the sugar, I use a mix of granulated sugar, powdered sugar and a heavy measure of brown sugar. Much like in my Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, using a greater amount of brown sugar (which contains molasses) helps the cookies outer edges become crispy as the sugar caramelizes. These crispy outer edges make my Double Chocolate Chip Sea Salt Cookies perfect for dunking (because you’re never too old to dunk!) without the cookie falling to pieces in your glass of milk.

The use of powdered sugar in a cookie recipe may sound a bit odd but this smidge of powdered sugar allows for a more tender cookie center. In powdered sugar, the sugar crystals are smaller and finer than granulated sugar. These smaller crystals more easily bind with the protein from the egg yolks and gluten in the flour (hello, baking is chemistry!) creating a softer, chewier cookie. So please, don’t skip the powdered sugar!

It may seem like any old chocolate will do for a chocolate chip cookie recipe but for this recipe, I wanted a mix of flavors and chose both semisweet chocolate chips and dark chocolate chunks. I love the big bites of dark chocolate throughout the cookie with the slightly sweeter, smoother semisweet chocolate chips. And of course, sweet & salty are like the PB&J of cookies so I sprinkled a heavy pinch of course sea salt on top of the cookies before they baked so when you bite into the cookie you get hints of sea salt.

The mix of chocolates, crispy edges, soft chewy centers and touch of sea salt seriously make my Double Chocolate Chip Sea Salt Cookies love at first bite!

5.0 from 1 reviews

Double Chocolate Chip Sea Salt Cookies

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

45 mins

Author: Alyssa

Serves: 30

Ingredients

½ cup unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup powdered sugar
2 egg yolks
1 whole egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
5 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
5 ounces dark chocolate chips
course sea salt (about 1 tablespoon)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375*F
Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicon baking mats and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter until smooth.
Add in the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and powdered sugar. Cream until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
One at a time, with the mixer on low, beat in the egg yolks followed by the whole egg. Scraping down the sides between each addition. Add in the vanilla and mix until combined.
In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Turn your mixer on low and in 3 separate additions, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter, sugar, and eggs, scraping down the side of the bowl between each addition.
Add in the chocolate and mix on low until just combined.
Using a tablespoon sized scoop, scoop the cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between each mound.
Sprinkle a pinch of coarse sea salt onto the top of each mound, lightly tapping the sea salt into place.
Bake at 375*F for 11-12 minutes, rotating the pan half walk through if you are not using a convection oven.
Once lightly golden around the edges, remove the cookies from the oven and let them rest for 2-3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
Store in a cool, dry place for up to a week or freeze for 2-3 months.

Ginger Spiced Cookies

February 26, 2016 by Alyssa

These cookies are a delicious cross between a snickerdoodle and a gingerbread!

They contain the warm, flavorful spices of ginger, cinnamon, clove and molasses found in gingerbread yet they’re soft, chewy and rolled in sugar in the same way as a classic snickerdoodle.

They are delicious no matter how they are eaten — warm, straight out of the oven, dunked into a steamy cup of coffee, or frozen straight out of the freezer with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and drizzle of caramel sauce.

I absolutely love these cookies and they’ve been in my family’s repertoire for at least 10 years. This recipe was shared with me by a fellow lifeguard-friend whom I was working with the summer after my Senior year of high school.

There was a group of us, all fresh out of high school or in our first years of college, who spent every summer together for 3 or 4 years, working as lifeguards at Hamlin Beach in upstate New York. We’d eat most meals together, workout together, train together, and always, party together.

It was only natural that we became the best of friends each summer after spending so much time together. But each year, once Autumn came about, we all departed on separate paths. Even now a days, we ‘keep in touch’ passively via Facebook. Watching one another graduate college, get married and start a family or move across the country. I am very lucky that Kevin (the lifeguard behind the recipe) shared his secret to these Ginger Spiced Cookies with me before we all lost touch.

It’s strange how we don’t even talk anymore but this cookie always reminds me of those summers and my friends at that time during my life. Isn’t it funny how food does that? How it brings you back to a specific moment in time? Making you pause, smile and watch as the memories play in your mind? I love it.

This recipe is one that makes close to 6 dozen so at the time, it was more than enough for a hungry group of lifeguards to share. The cookies don’t have any chocolate or caramels in them so they were safe for us to have about in the sun all day without the fear of melting.

Although I love the original cookie recipe just the way it is, I modified it a tad by adding candied ginger.

This single element makes it seem a bit more ‘grown up’ and mature — matching my current state of life. I love the added chew the finely diced candied ginger brings to the cookie along the small bite of gingery heat that’s hidden inside.

Although the recipe states to roll the dough into round balls then into sugar, you can definitely skip this step if you’re in a rush or don’t feel like any extra effort. They’re still just as delicious even without the sugar coating!

This Ginger Spiced Cookie is one that I will continue to make for years to come, eventually sharing with my own family, and each time, I’ll reflect on those amazing, fun summers spent with my lifeguard friends on the shores of Lake Ontario.

Do you have any foods that bring back a special memory?
Where have some of your favorite recipes come from?

Ginger Spice Cookies

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Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

45 mins

Total time

1 hour 15 mins

These cookies are a wonderful cross between a snickerdoodle and a gingerbread. They contain the warm, flavorful spices of ginger, cinnamon, clove and molasses found in gingerbread yet they're soft, chewy and rolled in sugar in the same way as a classic snickerdoodle.

Author: Alyssa

Serves: 6 dozen

Ingredients

4½ cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons ground ginger
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon cloves
2 teaspoons baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1½ cups butter flavored shortening
2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
½ cup molasses
½ cup finely diced, candied ginger (optional)
½ cup granulated or course sugar, for rolling

Instructions

In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda, and salt.
Set aside
In a large mixing bowl, cream together the shortening and 2 cups of sugar until fluffy.
Add in the eggs and molasses and beat well.
Add in one third of the flour mixture and mix on low to combine.
Continue until all flour is added and thoroughly combined.
Stir in the candied ginger pieces until dispersed throughout.
Shape the dough into 1 inch balls and roll in the remaining ½ cup of sugar until fully coated.
Place the cookie dough on an un-greased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.
Bake at 350*F for 12-14 minute or until cookies are light brown and slightly puffed.
Do not over bake or the cookies will lose their chewy quality.
Let the cookies stand on tray for 2 minute before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.