Bringing Life

Tag: baking

  • Thick, Chewy, Bold Gingerbread Cookies

    Thick, Chewy, Bold Gingerbread Cookies

    When I think of cookies, I think of thick cookies with centers that are still chewy. Cookies and cakey are seldom together in my vocabulary.

    That description applies to these gingerbread cookies too. While they could be rolled out and cut with cookie cutters, I much prefer them shaped into balls like one would for chocolate chip cookies. Thick and soft, even after a few days, these gingerbread cookies are full of warm spices and make an amazing addition to the holidays. Or any day, really.

    Dry Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon ground ginger
    • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
    • 1 heaping teaspoon ground nutmeg
    • ½–1 teaspoon ground cloves (optional but adds wonderful depth)
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
    • 4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
    • PLUS ½–1 cup extra flour, only if needed

    Wet Ingredients

    • 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, softened
    • 1 cup packed brown sugar
    • 1 cup molasses
    • ¼ cup half-and-half
    • 1–2 teaspoons vanilla extract

    Instructions

    1. Cream butter + brown sugar + vanilla

    Beat until smooth, fluffy, and lighter in color.

    2. Add molasses and half-and-half

    Mix until combined. Slight separation is normal.

    3. Add all the spices, salt, and baking soda

    Stir well so they’re evenly distributed.

    4. Add the 4 cups of flour

    Mix until a soft but formed dough appears.

    5. Add extra flour only if needed

    Add 2–3 tablespoons at a time, stopping when the dough is:

    • Soft
    • Slightly tacky
    • But workable without heavy sticking

    (You want a tender dough, not stiff.)

    6. Chill at least 1 hour

    Improves flavor and prevents spreading.

    7. Roll out ½ inch thick

    Or shape into balls.
    These are meant to be thick, chewy cookies.

    8. Bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes

    Pull when edges are set, but centers look slightly soft and puffy.
    They firm as they cool.

  • Classic Pecan Pie

    Classic Pecan Pie

    a pecan pie in a milk glass pie plate

    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Bake Time: 55–65 minutes
    Serves: 8

    This is the pecan pie people sneak a slice of before dinner — rich, buttery, gooey, caramel-sweet, and full of toasted pecans. Simple ingredients, classic flavor, and a flaky crust that makes it absolutely irresistible.

    🧂 Ingredients

    For the Filling

    • 1 cup light corn syrup
    • 1 cup sugar
    • 3 large eggs
    • ¼ cup (4 Tbsp) melted butter
    • 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
    • ½ tsp salt
    • 1 ½ cups pecan halves

    For the Crust

    Use a homemade flaky pie crust for the best results.
    You can find my recipe here:
    LINK:FlakyHomemadePieCrustRecipeLINK: Flaky Homemade Pie Crust RecipeLINK:FlakyHomemadePieCrustRecipe

    (A store-bought unbaked 9-inch crust works in a pinch, but the homemade one really makes this pie shine.)

    🔪 Instructions

    1. Prepare the crust.

    Press your unbaked pie crust into a 9-inch pie pan. Crimp or flute the edges. Keep chilled while you mix the filling.

    2. Mix the filling.

    Whisk together the corn syrup, sugar, eggs, melted butter, vanilla, and salt until smooth.

    3. Add the pecans.

    Fold in the pecan halves until everything is evenly coated.

    4. Assemble and bake.

    Pour the filling into your prepared crust.

    Bake at 350°F for 55–65 minutes, or until:

    • the top is golden and set,
    • the edges are firm,
    • and the very center still has a gentle wobble.

    5. Cool completely.

    Let cool at least 2 hours so the filling fully sets and slices cleanly.

    💡 Tips for the Best Pecan Pie

    • If the crust edges brown too quickly, tent them loosely with foil.
    • Toast the pecans in a dry skillet for 3–5 minutes for deeper flavor.
    • For a slightly less-sweet pie, swap ¼ cup of the sugar for brown sugar.
    • This pie slices beautifully when made a day ahead.

    🕯️ Bringing Life Note

    A flaky crust really is the foundation of the perfect pecan pie. If you haven’t tried my homemade version yet, this is a place to make it shine. Rich, buttery filling + crisp, tender crust = pure holiday comfort.

  • Classic Pumpkin Pie

    Classic Pumpkin Pie

    a pumpkin pie in a glass pie plate waiting to be sliced and served

    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Bake Time: 55–65 minutes
    Serves: 8

    This is the pumpkin pie everyone hopes will show up on the Thanksgiving table — smooth, rich, warmly spiced, and nestled in a flaky, buttery crust. No shortcuts, no odd flavors, just the holiday classic done right.

    🧂 Ingredients

    For the Pie Filling

    • 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin purée
    • 1 cup heavy cream
    • ½ cup whole milk
    • ¾ cup sugar
    • 2 large eggs
    • 1 egg yolk
    • 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
    • ½ tsp ginger
    • ¼ tsp nutmeg
    • ¼ tsp cloves (or allspice)
    • ½ tsp salt
    • 1 tsp vanilla

    For the Crust

    Use your favorite homemade pie crust (your flaky one!) or a good-quality unbaked 9-inch pie shell.

    🔪 Instructions

    1. Prepare the crust.

    Place your unbaked pie crust into a 9-inch pie dish. Flute or crimp the edges. Keep chilled while you mix the filling.

    2. Mix the filling.

    In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, sugar, spices, and salt. Add eggs + yolk and whisk until smooth. Stir in cream, milk, and vanilla until fully combined.

    3. Fill the crust.

    Pour the pumpkin mixture into your prepared pie shell.

    4. Bake.

    Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350°F and bake 40–50 minutes, or until:

    • the edges are set,
    • the center still has a gentle wobble,
    • and a knife inserted 1 inch from the crust comes out mostly clean.

    5. Cool completely.

    Let cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours. This helps it fully set and slice cleanly.

    💡 Tips for the Perfect Pumpkin Pie

    • If the crust edges brown too quickly, tent them with foil.
    • Don’t over-bake — slight jiggle = creamy texture.
    • Serve with lightly sweetened whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon.
    • Make it a day ahead for the best flavor and cleanest slices.

    🕯️ Bringing Life Note

    Pumpkin pie is the warm smell of Thanksgiving — cinnamon drifting through the house, a flaky crust cooling on the counter, and that first velvety slice after supper. Keep it simple, keep it classic, and it will never disappoint.

  • Flaky Homemade Pie Crust

    Flaky Homemade Pie Crust

    A classic, buttery, reliable crust for fruit pies, pot pies, cream pies, and more.

    This is my go-to pie crust — tender, flaky, and simple enough for everyday baking yet sturdy enough for deep-dish pies and savory pies. It uses basic pantry ingredients and comes together quickly, even in large batches.

    Ingredients

    (Makes one double crust or two single crusts)

    • 2 ½ cups (315 g) all-purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 cup (2 sticks / 226 g) cold unsalted butter
      • or ½ butter + ½ lard for extra flake
    • 6–8 tablespoons ice water
    • Optional: 1 teaspoon vinegar or lemon juice (helps prevent toughness)

    Instructions

    1. Mix dry ingredients.

    Whisk together flour and salt in a large mixing bowl.

    2. Cut in the fat.

    Add cold, cubed butter.
    Use a pastry cutter or your fingertips to blend until the mixture has pea-sized pieces with some larger flakes.
    Visible butter = flaky crust.

    3. Add water.

    Sprinkle in 4 tablespoons of ice water, tossing gently.
    Add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, just until the dough holds together when squeezed.
    Do not overwork.

    4. Chill.

    Divide the dough into two discs, wrap tightly, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or up to 2 days).
    This rest time relaxes the dough and keeps the butter cold.

    5. Roll out.

    Roll the first disc on a lightly floured surface to about ⅛ inch thick.
    Transfer to a 9-inch pie dish. Add your filling or continue to the prebaking instructions below.

    When to Prebake (Blind Bake)

    Most pies do NOT need the crust baked ahead of time.
    Use the guide below to choose the right method:

    NO Prebake Needed

    Use a raw crust for:

    • Apple pie
    • Berry pies
    • Cherry, peach, rhubarb
    • Pumpkin pie
    • Pecan pie
    • Meat/vegetable pot pies

    Just fill the raw crust and bake according to your recipe.

    Partial Blind Bake (Quiche & Lightly-Baked Fillings)

    Needed for:

    • Quiche
    • Custard pies that bake at low heat
    • Some tarts

    How to Partial Bake:

    1. Chill rolled crust 10 minutes in freezer (prevents shrinking).
    2. Line with parchment + pie weights.
    3. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 15 minutes.
    4. Remove weights.
    5. Bake 5 more minutes, until the bottom looks set but not browned.

    Full Blind Bake (Cream Pies & No-Bake Fillings)

    Needed for:

    • Banana cream
    • Chocolate cream
    • Coconut cream
    • French silk
    • Any pie where the crust must be fully cooked before filling

    How to Fully Blind Bake:

    1. Chill rolled crust 10 minutes.
    2. Line with parchment + pie weights.
    3. Bake at 375°F for 15 minutes.
    4. Remove weights.
    5. Bake 10–15 minutes more, until golden brown and crisp.

    ⏳ Total time: about 25–30 minutes.

    Tips for Best Results

    • Keep ingredients cold for maximum flake.
    • If the dough softens while rolling, chill 10 minutes and resume.
    • For a glossy top crust, brush with an egg wash before baking (1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp milk).
    • Dough discs freeze well for up to 3 months.

  • Buttermilk Chess Pie — Simple, Sweet, and Southern

    There’s something comforting about the simplicity of an old-fashioned pie. This one, baked as a thank-you for our FedEx driver, quickly earned a place among our family favorites. It’s buttery, sweet, and smooth — the kind of dessert that tastes like home.

    a chess pie in a milk glass pie dish on a striped tea towel

    📜 Ingredients

    (Makes one 9-inch pie)

    • 1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust
    • 1 cup granulated sugar
    • ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
    • 2 tablespoons fine cornmeal (optional for a touch of tradition)
    • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
    • 4 large eggs
    • ½ cup buttermilk
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    👩‍🍳 Instructions

    1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
      Place your unbaked crust in a 9-inch pie dish and crimp the edges.
    2. Mix dry ingredients.
      In a large bowl, whisk together the sugars, cornmeal, flour, and salt.
    3. Add butter and eggs.
      Stir in melted butter until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, whisking well after each.
    4. Finish the filling.
      Whisk in buttermilk and vanilla. The mixture will be thin — that’s normal for chess pie.
    5. Pour and bake.
      Pour filling into the crust. Bake 45–55 minutes, or until the center is just set and the top is golden with a delicate sugary crust.
      (If the crust browns too quickly, cover edges loosely with foil.)
    6. Cool completely.
      Let the pie rest at room temperature for at least 2 hours before slicing. It continues to set as it cools.

    🍴 Serving & Storage

    Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.
    Store covered in the fridge up to 4 days.

    💡 Notes & Variations

    • No brown sugar? Use 1½ cups raw sugar (or 2¾ cups if doubling the recipe) and add a teaspoon of molasses for deeper flavor.
    • Lemon Chess Pie: Add zest and juice of one lemon.
    • Chocolate Chess Pie: Add 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder with the dry ingredients.
    • Maple Chess Pie: Swap ¼ cup sugar for maple syrup and reduce buttermilk slightly.

    ❤️ From Our Kitchen

    This pie started as a simple thank-you — a small way to show appreciation to someone who carries heavy boxes to our door year-round. But after one bite, Tim and I decided it won’t just be a thank-you pie anymore. It’s officially part of our family favorites list.

  • Crisp and Juicy Roast Turkey

    Crisp and Juicy Roast Turkey

    a generated image of a roasted turkey sitting on a rack in a roaster pan

    Thanksgiving is right around the corner! That means it’s time to get ready to cook that amazing turkey you’re hoping isn’t as disappointing as last year’s.

    If you’re looking for the traditional Thanksgiving turkey — the one you have to chew 124 times and drown in two quarts of gravy just to make it tolerable — this isn’t the recipe for you.

    BUT… if you want the juiciest, most amazing, crispy-skinned, mouthwatering turkey you can imagine, crank up the heat on that oven and slide the big bird in for a shorter, hotter trip to the table than it had last year!

    Serves: 10–12 | Prep: 20 min | Cook: 2½–3 hrs | Rest: 30 min

    🧂 Ingredients

    • 1 whole turkey (12–14 lb), thawed
    • ½ cup salted butter, softened
    • 1 Tbsp olive oil
    • 1 Tbsp salt
    • 1 tsp black pepper
    • 1 tsp paprika
    • 1 tsp garlic powder
    • 1 tsp onion powder
    • 1 tsp dried thyme (or 2 tsp fresh)
    • 1 tsp dried rosemary (or 2 tsp fresh)
    • 1 tsp dried sage (or 2 tsp fresh)
    • 1 onion, quartered
    • 1 lemon, quartered
    • 1 head of garlic, halved crosswise

    🔪 Directions

    1. Prep the bird.
      Remove giblets and neck; pat dry thoroughly. Tuck the wing tips behind the shoulders.
    2. Season.
      Mix butter, olive oil, salt, pepper, and seasonings.
      Rub about half under the skin and the rest over the outside.
    3. Fill the cavity.
      Add onion, lemon, and garlic for aroma (no heavy stuffing—it slows cooking).
    4. Roast hot.
      • Place on a rack in a large roasting pan with 1 cup broth or water in the bottom.
      • Roast at 425 °F for 40 minutes to brown and crisp the skin.
      • Without opening the door, reduce heat to 350 °F and continue roasting about 10–12 minutes per pound, until a thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 °F.
      • If skin darkens too fast, tent loosely with foil.
    5. Rest.
      Transfer to a board, cover loosely, and rest 30 minutes before carving.

    💡 Tips

    • For extra moisture, brush once or twice with drippings during the lower-temp phase.
    • Don’t skip the rest period—it’s the secret to juicy slices.
    • Use leftover bones for rich broth later.

  • Pumpkin Spice Streusel Muffins

    Pumpkin Spice Streusel Muffins

    A plate of pumpkin spice muffins with streusel topping with mug of coffee, three whole nutmeg, and a plaque that says "Then sings my soul".

    Maybe the cool weather is getting to me. Maybe I like pumpkin spice more than I thought. Whichever is the case, here’s a recipe I had to share. These muffins turned out so delicious I couldn’t keep them to myself.

    Pumpkin Spice Muffins (24 muffins)

    Ingredients

    Dry:

    • 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
    • 2 tsp baking soda
    • 2 tsp baking powder
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 2 tsp cinnamon
    • 2 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
    • 1/2 tsp ground cloves

    Wet:

    • 2 cups canned pumpkin purée (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
    • 1 cup granulated sugar
    • 1 cup brown sugar, packed
    • 1 cup sour cream
    • 1 cup melted butter
    • 4 large eggs
    • 2 tsp vanilla extract

    Streusel Topping

    • 1 cup all-purpose flour
    • ¾ cup granulated sugar (or half brown sugar, half white for deeper flavor)
    • 1 tsp cinnamon
    • ½ tsp nutmeg
    • ½ cup cold unsalted butter, cubed

    Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners (or grease).
    2. Make the streusel:
      In a bowl, whisk flour, sugar, and spices. Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or your fingers until mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Chill while you prepare the batter.
    3. Mix dry ingredients:
      In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices.
    4. Mix wet ingredients:
      In another large bowl, whisk together pumpkin, both sugars, sour cream, oil, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
    5. Combine:
      Add dry ingredients to wet and stir just until combined (don’t overmix).
    6. Fill muffin tins:
      Divide batter evenly among 24 cups (about ⅔ full).
    7. Top:
      Sprinkle each muffin generously with streusel.
    8. Bake:
      Bake 20–24 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
    9. Cool slightly before serving.

    These muffins are great the next day as well.

  • Spicedoodle Cookies

    Spicedoodle Cookies

    Do you ever start out to make one thing, but the farther you go the more you realize you’re actually making something else? That’s what happened with these cookies.

    I went into the kitchen fully intending to make snickerdoodles. That’s what had been requested and that’s what I had a recipe for.

    But then, as often happens, Tim came to help. Don’t get me wrong, that wasn’t a problem. Tim is, after all, the one who taught me to cook, and I enjoy working in the kitchen with him. But… It did mean the recipe was changing cause that’s what Tim does.

    Soon, I was pulling fresh cookies from the oven and trying to convince everyone that they would survive if they waited a few minutes for the cookies to cool.

    Then, came the first taste. All it took was one bite to know these were definitely not snickerdoodles. They had the same cinnamon sugar coating, but after Tim had added ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg the cookies had morphed into… well… Spicedoodles.

    So a new favorite was created and now I’m passing it one to you!

    a plate of homemade cookies with whole nutmeg and cinnamon pieces

    Spicedoodle Cookies

    Ingredients (For approx 36 cookies)

    • 1 cup (2 cubes) Butter, softened
    • 1 cup Sugar
    • 1 teaspoon Vanilla
    • 2 Eggs
    • 4 teaspoons Baking Powder
    • 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
    • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
    • 1 tablespoon Cinnamon
    • 2 teaspoons Nutmeg, grated
    • 1/2 teaspoon ground Ginger
    • 3 1/2 cups Flour

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
    • Combine softened butter, sugar, and vanilla until creamy.
    • Add the eggs and mix well.
    • Mix in spices and dry ingredients. We like our spices strong, but if you want a more “normal” spice level, cut the amounts for the cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger in half.
    • In a small bowl, mix sugar and cinnamon to roll the cookies in. Ratios can vary depending on how strong you want the cinnamon.
    • Form cookies into ping-pong sized balls and flatten slightly. This will help them stay thicker as they bake and come out softer.
    • Roll them in the sugar/cinnamon mixture and place on a cookie sheet an inch or so apart.
    • Bake at 400 degrees for 7-8 minutes. They will still look soft, but will be delicious and perfectly done. For my family at least. Feel free to adjust if you want, but I wouldn’t suggest going over 9 minutes.
    • Lastly, enjoy!
  • Best Buttermilk Biscuits

    Best Buttermilk Biscuits

    Hello again!

    Around here, we usually keep breakfasts pretty simple. Bacon and eggs, eggs and bacon, that sort of thing. Sometimes, for variety, we add cottage cheese, veggies, or fruit to the menu.

    And then, other times, we feel like splurging a bit. Usually in those cases, our minds (Tim’s for sure!) turn to biscuits.

    Finding the perfect recipe was a bit of a journey. Especially since we started with store-bought biscuits out of a can. I still shudder sometimes to think of it.

    This recipe is not original to me. I found it online at bakerbettie.com

    The enjoyment we get from eating these flaky rounds of yummyness is ours, though. They are amazing with butter and honey or jam, with Tim’s delicious sausage gravy, or as breakfast sandwiches. Or even reheated with a little butter.

    biscuit bacon egg and cheese sandwiches

    OLD FASHIONED LARD BISCUITS

    Ingredients

    • 2 c Flour
    • 1 T Baking Powder
    • 1/4 t Baking Soda
    • 1 1/4 t Salt
    • 6 T Leaf Lard, cold *
    • 1 c Buttermilk, cold

    Instructions

    Preheat oven to 450 degrees and make sure an oven rack is in the center of the oven.

    Grease a cake pan or cookie sheet or line with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, if desired. I never grease my pan for biscuits and they seldom stick more than a little bit. If you use a cookie sheet, make sure it has a rim to keep any melted lard from running off.

    Keep lard and buttermilk in the refrigerator until needed.

    In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients and whisk. *

    flour mixture in a mixer bowl

    Add in the cold lard and cut into the flour mixture using a pastry blender or fork. You want the lard to be mostly in pea-sized pieces with a few larger.

    pieces of butter in flour mixture in a mixer bowl
    butter pieces in flour mixture

    Add the cold buttermilk and stir with a spoon or spatula until just combined. This will not take long and you don’t want to overmix as the biscuits will be tough. The batter/dough will be pretty wet and sticky.

    buttermilk in flour mixture

    Turn the mixture out onto a floured table or countertop. Dust flour over the top. With floured hands, bring the dough into one mass.

    flour on a table

    Pat the dough out and then fold in half. Turn 90 degrees and pat out again. Repeat this 5-6 times. The folds help the biscuits end up flakier.

    patting out biscuit dough

    Press the layered dough out until it’s about an inch thick and use a round cutter that has been dipped in flour to cut the biscuits. Press straight down with the cutter and do not twist. Pat the scraps back together and cut again. Or you can pat the dough into a rectangle and use a sharp knife to divide into 8 biscuits.

    a cut biscuit round
    cutting out biscuits

    Place the biscuits in the prepared pan, making sure the edges are touching to help the biscuits rise.

    unbaked biscuits on a cookie sheet

    Bake for 13-15 minutes until golden brown. Do not open the door for at least the first half of the bake time. Keeping the steam trapped inside the oven helps with the rise.

    golden brown biscuits on a cookie sheet

    Let cool, if possible, and then enjoy however you choose.

    Notes

    * I have substituted butter, tallow, and bacon grease for the lard with no problems. You just want it cold when it goes in.

    *I make mine in my stand mixer and it works just great. Just don’t overmix.

  • Amazing Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

    Amazing Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

    Great to Have You Back!

    If any of y’all are like us, you have a go-to dessert recipe for when the sugar cravings hit or you want to relax with a favorite snack. For us, it’s chocolate chip cookies. But, these aren’t just any chocolate chip cookies. When we got married, Tim was very much NOT a fan of chocolate chip cookies. But sometimes I’d try different recipes to see if I could find one he did like. Because, Hello… Chocolate!

    A couple of years ago, I found a recipe that sounded promising and decided to give it another try. Now, when I make something, it is pretty rare for me to follow the recipe exactly. So I did my usual and tweaked these. The original recipe called for nuts, and while I don’t have any problems with nuts, I don’t often use them in cookies. Instead, I increased the amount of flour.

    I mixed up all of the ingredients, placed the cookies on the sheet, and baked them for two minutes less than the recipe said. With bated breath, I pulled the finished cookies out of the oven and watched as Tim sampled one. And something wonderful and new happened!

    Alright, I may have gotten a little dramatic there, but something exciting did happen. Tim quickly proclaimed them the best chocolate chip cookies he had ever eaten, and the rest of the batch quickly followed the first as he and the kids (and me, too) basically inhaled them.

    You might now be curious about what makes this recipe so special—why these cookies stand out from the rest. Well, there are a couple things that I think really made the difference for us.

    1. Dark Chocolate

    I might be stepping into a controversial subject (I don’t know), but my family is of the firm opinion that dark chocolate is VASTLY superior to milk chocolate or even semi-sweet chocolate. It keeps the rich decadent taste of chocolate without overloading on the sweet taste.

    1. Firm Dough

    Again, each to their own, but I like my cookie dough firm enough that it doesn’t spread all out in the oven. That way, the cookies come out thick enough to have soft chewy centers instead of being flat and crispy.

    1. Shorter Bake Time

    I pull these cookies out of the oven before the centers look completely set and dry. It keeps some of the moisture in them so they stay soft and moist for several days. Tim actually likes them best a day or two after baking, when the flavors have had plenty of time to blend.

    So what’s in these cookies? It’s pretty much what you would expect.

    • Butter – I have used both salted and unsalted butter in this recipe and both work. I normally use salted without having to adjust the salt amount.
    • Sugar – I use raw natural sugar, but plain white sugar works too. I also cut the sugar amount as we don’t like them really sweet, but if you prefer a sweeter cookie increase the sugar by a 1/4 cup.
    • Brown Sugar – My preference is dark brown sugar as it adds a deeper taste, almost a caramel-ly taste. Light brown sugar works great too, though. I have even made my own brown sugar by adding molasses to raw sugar.
    • Vanilla – I use real vanilla extract, but imitation vanilla would probably work as well.
    • Eggs – I have only ever used chicken egg for this recipe. Hopefully, one of these days I can let you know how it works with duck eggs! I have never used an egg substitute.
    • Salt – My normal is pink Himalayan salt, but white table salt is fine too.
    • Baking Soda – Pretty basic, I think.
    • Flour – I use organic white flour. I don’t have any experience with whole wheat flour or nut flours in this recipe.
    • Dark Chocolate Chips – And last, but not least, the star of the show! I have used milk chocolate mini chips and semi-sweet chocolate morsels, but my definite favorite is dark chocolate chips. The darker the better. You can use a bit more than the recipe calls for with no problem or can cut it down and use less. I often use less as Tim really likes the taste of the actual cookie dough with only occasional chocolate chips.

    Our Family-Favorite Soft & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

    • 1 Cup of Butter, Softened
    • 1/2 Cup Sugar
    • 3/4 Cup Brown Sugar
    • 1 Teaspoon Vanilla
    • 2 Eggs
    • 1 Teaspoon Salt
    • 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
    • 3 Cups Flour
    • 1 1/2 Cups Dark Chocolate Chips

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
    2. Cream the butter, sugars, and vanilla together in a stand mixer until creamy.
    1. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each one.
    1. Switch to dough hook and mix in salt, baking soda, and flour. The dough may look crumbly but usually fixes itself once the flour is all mixed in.
    1. Mix in chocolate chips.
    1. Place thick rounds of dough about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
    1. Bake for 8 minutes for soft and chewy cookies. 10 minutes if you want a crispier cookie.
    1. Let them cool—if you can resist! At our house, they rarely last that long.