The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook - Martha Stewart Living Magazine [357]
2. Drop heaping tablespoon-size balls of dough about 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
3. Bake until the cookies are golden around the edges but still soft in the center, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, and let cool on the baking sheet 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool completely. Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.
ADD-INS: Create variations on chocolate chip cookies with the following ingredients. Use one or two—or several.
NUTS Add 1 cup coarsely chopped nuts—walnuts, pecans, macadamias—with the chips.
ESPRESSO Add 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder to the dry ingredients; replace 1 cup flour with unsweetened cocoa powder for a mocha flavor.
SHREDDED COCONUT Stir in 1½ cups shredded sweetened coconut with the chips.
COCOA Replace 1 cup flour with unsweetened cocoa powder to make double chocolate chip cookies.
DRIED FRUIT Combine 1 cup chopped dried cherries or other dried fruit with the chips.
GINGER Mix ½ cup finely chopped candied ginger or up to 1 teaspoon ground ginger into the dry ingredients.
CANDY BITS Substitute 1 cup chips with chopped chocolate candies, such as malt balls.
OATMEAL For hearty cookies, stir in 1½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats along with the chips.
PEANUT BUTTER To make a chocolate–peanut butter combo, reduce the butter to ¾ cup, and mix in ½ cup smooth peanut butter with the butter and sugars.
pine nut cookies
MAKES ABOUT 36
2 cups pine nuts
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
¼ cup almond paste
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
½ cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Process ¾ cup pine nuts and the sugar, almond paste, and vanilla in a food processor until fine crumbs form. Add the egg; pulse to combine. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt; process just until the dough comes together.
2. Roll the dough into ¾-inch balls. Roll the balls in the remaining 1¼ cups pine nuts, gently pressing to coat. Space 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets.
3. Bake until the cookies begin to turn golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let cool completely on the sheets on wire racks.
coconut-date bars
MAKES 8
3 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut
1 pound very soft dates, pitted
¼ cup walnuts, toasted and finely chopped
Sprinkle 2 tablespoons coconut over the bottom of an 8-inch-square baking dish. Firmly press the dates into the coconut, covering the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon coconut and the walnuts, gently pressing them into the dates. Cut into 2-inch squares. The bars can be stored in an airtight container 2 to 3 days.
FIT TO EAT RECIPE PER SERVING: 194 CALORIES, 2 G FAT, 0 MG CHOLESTEROL, 46 G CARBOHYDRATE, 0 MG SODIUM, 2 G PROTEIN, 5 G FIBER
double chocolate chunk cookies
MAKES ABOUT 36
These rich cookies should seem a bit soft when you take them out of the oven. They firm as they cool, so be careful not to overbake them.
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
8 ounces good-quality milk chocolate (4 ounces coarsely chopped, 4 ounces cut into ¼-inch chunks)
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter
1½ cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside. Melt the coarsely chopped chocolate with the butter in a small heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water.
2. Transfer the chocolate mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the sugar, eggs, and vanilla; mix on medium speed until combined. Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in the flour mixture. Fold in the chocolate chunks by hand.
3. Scoop the batter using a 1½-inch ice-cream