Chocolate Toffee Cookies

Ok, ok! I know. I've been a super bad blogger. I haven't updated in a month. A whole month! Recently, I've had several disgruntled readers bug me about putting up a new post. =) I must tell you- I haven't forgotten about this blog, I promise! In fact, every day that has gone by, I have thought about my blog and yearned to sit down to write. But life has been SO hectic lately and even though I've been back in Seattle for two weeks now, I'm still running around like a headless chicken, trying to get my life back in order. hehe.

I thought that everything would be back to normal once I got back. Wishful thinking. It's actually incredibly difficult to get back into the swing of things when you've been gone for three months. I mean, think of all the errands you'd have to run!

In addition, we've had a few set backs with building the house. Remember how it was supposed to be finished in May? And how I was scrambling to pack up my entire kitchen before I left for California back in March? Well, I came back to find that it has been delayed until July! And I just couldn't bare to unpack the kitchen that I spent DAYS packing up so nicely...just to have to pack it up again in a month. So I've been depressed. I haven't baked since March 12th. And I won't be able to until July. Isn't that the pits? We've been eating out every night. And we microwave stuff. Oh how the mighty have fallen! lol. I went from making everything from scratch to microwaving. I can't even stand it!

Anyway, luckily, I still have pictures saved up from when I did bake before...did I mention that this was before March 12th?? So MSCC readers, if you're here for this month's cupcakes, you're out of luck!

However, this cookie recipe is a close second, I'd say! It's adapted from Martha Stewart Cookies!


It's a dark chocolate cookie with milk chocolate chips and toffee bits. Mmmm...sooo good! It's funny because when I first started blogging, I really disliked cookies. But now that I've featured three different ones, I've realized that it was only a matter of finding a good recipe. Homemade cookies are just SO irresistible!

And they're the best fresh out of the oven!


Start out by combining all the dry ingredients.


Melt dark chocolate and butter together.


Combine sugar, eggs, vanilla, and the melted chocolate.




Gradually mix in the dry ingredients. Then add the chocolate and toffee chips.


Plop them on a cookie sheet and bake for about 15 minutes.

Allow to cool. Or not!


If you're a die-hard chocolate fan, this cookie is for you!

I'm not sure how regularly I will be able to post. Right now, we're spending every waking moment outside of work trying to get last minute things done for the house. There are so many little things that you don't really think about until you're building a house... like "where am I going to find a mailbox?" and "what should our door-knobs look like?" AND my personal favorite: "um...honey? how come the down stairs bathroom is missing a toilet??" hehe. I imagine that life will be pretty chaotic until we're all moved and unpacked, which could take a while. I will try to update as often as possible- I still have a handful of entries that I have queued up from before. But please bare with me! Blogging is still a passion, but unfortunately, not a priority at the moment. I've got bigger fish to fry! har har! Thank you for thinking of me, though! I'm touched that so many people emailed/commented asking for a new post! xoxo, j.


CLICK HERE for the recipe!

Orange-Cranberry White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

I have a confession. One that I never thought I'd make.

Ok, here goes: I might have found something that I love just as much as cupcakes... and it's a cookie! Oh, the insanity of it! Pigs have most definitely sprouted wings.


If you'll remember, the one other time that I posted a cookie recipe, the chocolate chip, I rambled on and on about my indifference towards them and listed all the reasons why. And it was only because of the fact that Hubby (aka Cookie Monster) had been bugging me for months about making him a batch, that I actually went to seek out a recipe.

I was feeling antsy one evening and needed to do something with my pent-up energy, so without thinking much about it, I went into the kitchen and started experimenting. I had seen white chocolate macadamia nut cookies around a lot recently and thought that maybe it would be good with cranberries in it. The idea had been in my head, but I was never enthusiastic enough about it to actually attempt it. But since it wasn't a designated "Judy In The Kitchen" day, the fact that I was experimenting with a cookie didn't put me off. I merrily went about the task, for no reason other than to give my energy and creativity an outlet.

Little did I know, this informal baking session would change my life forever. Ok fine, maybe that was a gross exaggeration. It at least changed how I feel about cookies. Or at least this cookie. =)


Luckily, I had some Craisins laying around. And it just so happens that when I was at the store the other day, I noticed the orange flavored ones. I was curious as to how they would taste, so I grabbed a couple of packs. You can't really go wrong with these two flavors anyway.


And boy was I right! The second I opened the bag, their super fragrant citrus scent filled the air! I grabbed a small handful and popped them in my mouth. SO divine! Wow. I had been missing out! I thought about all those years I wasted purchasing the regular kind. I could already tell that it was meant to be- this incredible find deserved to be the highlight of my cookies!

Off to a good start, I began to mix the dry ingredients.

Of all the white chocolate macadamia nut cookies that I had tasted before, they all seemed to be way too sweet. So when I started on the wet ingredients, I decided to only use brown sugar to cream with the butter. And even then, I used it sparingly. I wanted the cookie to be sweetened naturally by the white chocolate and the cranberries. This way, the citrus flavor of the cranberries will really get a chance to shine through, without being masked by the sweetness of white processed sugar. This ended up being a really good decision!

Add eggs and vanilla. Beat until combined.

Now add the dry ingredients and mix until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, making sure that all of the flour gets incorporated.

Once your dough has come together, time to add the good stuff!

Orange flavored Craisins, white chocolate chips, and chopped dry-roasted macadamia nuts.

Mix until well combined and evenly distributed through out the cookie dough...which is not what's pictured here. lol. For some reason, I only took pictures of the dough before I mixed it. hehe.


Roll into 1 inch balls and space evenly on a cookie sheet. Line your cookie sheet with a silicone baking mat if you have one. This will keep your cookies from becoming too brown on the bottom before fully cooking through. If you don't have one of these mats, I would highly recommend getting one. They're not super expensive- about $20, and it's a great investment that will save you from burning your cookies. They're about half the price on Amazon!


The second I pulled these out of the oven, Hubby came wandering in. He had been in the other room this whole time and didn't notice that I started baking. He was utterly confused when his nose brought him into the kitchen (since I don't usually bake like a maniac in the middle of the night). The smell of fresh baked cookies instantly brought him to my side and away from his computer, which for a computer nerd, is hard to do! =) He came to investigate because, well, a Cookie Monster knows when cookies are around. He has a sixth sense: "cookie-radar."


The second I was done photographing them, it was time to dig in! We ate one, then two... then three. We were both in heaven! Hubby, who has always been a die-hard chocolate chip fan, said that this was his favorite now. And I, who was always a die-hard cookie un-enthusiast, was instantly in love!

The orange cranberries were amazing and gave these cookies something extra- it really took it to the next level. I was surprised at how much of a difference it made! The citrus scent was so pure and fragrant that it made every bite a heavenly experience!

Just to put my love of these cookies in perspective for you, you should know that I baked a second batch the following day! This is huge for two reasons: (1) The only other time in the past year that I've baked cookies were those chocolate chip ones. But these cranberry ones were SO delicious that I baked them twice, consecutively! And (2) when it comes to trying out new baked-goods recipes, I hardly ever, almost never, bake the same thing twice. I'm always so busy trying out new recipes for my blog that baking something twice is considered a waste of time, because I'm already onto the next thing, trying to find bigger and better things to blog about.

This is the first time that I've craved a cookie so much that I baked enough for a whole week! And we hoarded them, I'm not ashamed to say. Usually, we send stuff off to friends. But with these, Hubby and I greedily kept all of them. A couple of days after we ran out, Hubby was still asking for them. Were there anymore left? No there weren't, unfortunately. But I'm already planning on baking more as I type... =)

Give these a try! You won't be disappointed. And they only take about 10-15 minutes to prep before going into the oven! So little effort for such huge rewards!


Click HERE for the most amazing cookie recipe EVER!

Jam-Filled Sugar Cookies

Ok, I'm just going to start off this entry by saying that these cookies are absolutely AMAZING! They're ten times better than any sugar cookie I've ever had. They have a soft crunchiness to them...soft, yet crunchy at the same time. Wait, maybe "crunchy" isn't the right word. Because it's not "crunchy" like a "Doritos crunch," more like a soft "shortbread cookie crunch." lol. That doesn't seem to make a whole lot of sense, does it? But it's true! They're so delicious that I'm at a loss for words! You'll just have to try this recipe to see for yourself! Pure bliss to your taste buds. YUM.

Remember these beautiful cookies cutters?

I used them to make the Gingerbread Cookies that went on top of those delicious Gingerbread Cupcakes. Aren't they adorable?!

So this cookie recipe came about because I wanted another reason to use the cutters. I bought them especially for the holiday season and I loved them so much that I wanted to put them to good use! I couldn't bare to pack them away for next year without using them one last time.

I had been meaning to try this Jam-Filled Sugar Cookie recipe from my Williams Sonoma cookbook for a while now, so this seemed like the perfect time!

(1) Make the Cookies

Sift together the dry ingredients.


Combine butter and powdered sugar until smooth.

Add in vanilla and almond extracts. Mix until well blended and the dough has formed into large clumps.


With your hands, gently push together the dough clumps to form two flattened, circular disks. Wrap tightly in seran wrap and refrigerate for about an hour.


Roll the dough to be about 1/4 inch thick. Cut out your snowflakes and transfer them to a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. The cookies should be able to hold its shape pretty well and won't give you any trouble when transferring. I found this to be a really good cookie dough recipe, one that isn't too soft and won't fall apart easily. If you find that your dough is too soft after you roll it out, you can stick it into the freezer for about 5 minutes. Be careful not to leave it in there for longer than that, because it will become completely frozen and too hard to cut.


Bake the cookies at 325 degrees F for 12-15 minutes, until the sides are light brown.

(2) Assembling the Cookies

Use a really good quality jam, one that's not too sweet. I used Bonne Maman Strawberry preserves. It's a super high quality jam that won't leave you feeling like you've eaten a spoonful of sugar. You can usually find it at Whole Foods.


I didn't want to waste the small cookies that were cut out of the centers of the large ones, so I made them into small cookie sandwiches! They were super cute and looked nice when arranged on a platter with the large ones.

(3) Decorate the Cookies

Use your favorite royal icing recipe for these cookies. I don't follow a recipe to make mine. I simply dump a ton of powdered sugar into a bowl with a teaspoon of vanilla extract. Then, I slowly add heavy cream to the mixture until it reaches the right consistency- something thick that will allow for piping. Add your icing to a ziplock bag or a piping bag and decorate elaborately!


You'd be surprised at how easy it is to make these! I know many people shy away from attempting sugar cookies because they are intimidating. But fear not! Because this is an awesome recipe, both in terms of the dough consistency being easy to work with and in terms of deliciousness!

This is beautiful treat to have at a holiday party! Your guests will be super impressed!


Click HERE for the recipe.

Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

For some reason, cookies don't appeal to me. I don't ever bake them, I hardly ever eat them. And I've never felt compelled to seek out cookie recipes to try.


I can't pinpoint the exact reason why, but here are a few contributing factors: (1) They're super easy to make. You just toss everything in a bowl and call it good. I think the simplicity of the recipes bore me. (2) They're not my favorite dessert to eat. I don't ever think of a cookie when I order dessert or crave something sweet. (3) They don't make for very interesting photo subjects. They're just not as pretty of a final product as, say.. cupcakes. lol.

For obvious reasons, the most highly coveted cookbook in my house is the Martha Stewart Cupcake book. I've read every single page of the book about three times. The corners are worn, and you can tell it's received a lot of love!

So why did I recently purchase the Martha Stewart Cookie book?


Because, unfortunately, Hubby and I don't seem to be compatible Foodies! I know, it's tragic, isn't it? To call him "Cookie Monster" would be an understatement. The boy can eat cookies all day, every day.

For a while now, he's been buzzing in my ear about chocolate chip cookies being his favorite (I think he was trying to hint at something). Not just any cookie, but the soft and chewy ones that have a bit of bite to them. Apparently, it's an extra bonus if they're slightly crispy on the edges too. (He's a bit of a diva when it comes to cookies.)

After months of ignoring his requests for cookies, I finally caved and set out to find him an awesome cookie recipe. Since the cupcake book proved to be such a good authority on cupcake matters, I figured that going with the cookie book would be a safe bet! Besides, you really can't go wrong with Martha!



With an electric mixer, beat white sugar, brown sugar, and butter until light and fluffy.

Add in salt, vanilla, and eggs. Beat until smooth.


Combine with dry ingredients. Stir in chocolate chips.

The instructions say to drop them on a cookie sheet about 2 inches apart, but for my own purposes (you'll see in a minute why I did this), I squeezed about 15 on my cookie sheet, so that they sat super close to one another. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.


When they came out of the oven, I allowed them to cool for a about an hour, and then I took a cookie cutter to them! Yup! This worked perfectly, since I dropped them so close together. They ran into each other and formed a giant sheet of cookie!

I did this because I wanted to display them in my new tiiiiny little glass "cookie/cupcake" dome!! =)


Remember how I was complaining earlier that there wasn't a nice way to present cookies in a photo? Well, this was my way of turning them into an interesting photo subject! lol. I saw these little domes at Sur la Table and knew instantly that I had to have them! They come in all different sizes too! I'm going to bring them out for the next party I host. They'll be SO cute in a dessert spread! =)


I used a slightly smaller cookie cutter for the cookies on top, so that it can taper off and fit into the dome shape perfectly with the lid on! So cute! The little dome is only 3 inches by 7 inches, so you'll have a stack of perfectly sized cookies, a little less than three inches in diameter.

Ta-DA! Isn't it SO cute with the lid on?

Ok about the cookies...I gotta say: I LOVED THEM. Isn't that insane? I knew that Martha wouldn't fail me! They were SO delicious, and I don't even like cookies, remember?

They really were soft and sooo chewy! They even stayed soft the next day, after we brought them out of the fridge. And the edges were crispy! We had a rather large circumference of crispy cookie around the edge of the pan! Hubby was in cookie heaven and mumbled something about me being the best wifey ever, through mouthfuls of cookie. hehe. I can't believe I didn't get the cookie book sooner!

If you love cookies... or even if you don't like cookies, you must give these a try! =)


P.S. Stay tuned to see what cupcakes look like in my new cookie/cupcake dome! So irresistibly cute!

Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Martha Stewart's Cookies

Click HERE for the recipe.