Perfect and Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

I have loved chocolate chip cookies for as long as I can remember (like many people I assume), however since the thick and soft ones are my favorites, I hunted for a long time to find the perfect recipe for me. I found it through Sally's Baking Addiction and now it's my go-to! I do make them a bit differently than she does but the recipe is hers.

| Ingredients |

• 2+1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1+1/2 tsp. cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter)
• 3/4 cup loosely packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk, cold
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract (or 1+1/2 tsp vanilla, 1/2 tsp vanilla, butter, nut flavoring) 
• 1 cup mini chocolate chips

| Directions |

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, corn starch, and salt and set aside.
3. In a medium microwave safe bowl, heat the butter for 15-20 second intervals until it's about half melted. Using a whisk, stir until it is entirely liquid but still opaque yellow.
4. Whisk in the brown and white sugar.
5. Whisk in the whole egg first, followed by the yolk, and lastly the vanilla. The cold eggs and partially melted butter will create a thick wet dough that can bypass the refrigerating step!
6. Using a rubber spatula, add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until almost combined but small ribbons of flour remain. Add the chocolate chips and stir completely.
7. Using a cookie scoop, scoop dough onto a silicone baking mat (or parchment paper) about two inches apart. Using a few extra chocolate chips, place them on top of bare areas on the cookies before baking (it makes them look super cute and fancy)
8. Bake for 13-15 minutes. The bottom of the cookies should not be much darker than the tops. Allow to cool 5-10 minutes on the tray to finish baking, unless the bottoms are golden and the cookies hold together well!

I love these cookies so much. They're soft but they hold up really well in cookie jar or in a lunch box ;) This recipe is also a really good base for other flavored cookies as well! I've used it to make banana chocolate chip ones, black forest, and double chocolate. Let me know if you give it a shot!

Thanks for reading! xo

Hannah 

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Orange Creamsicle Cupcake Recipe!

I'm an avid baker and since springtime is finally here, fruity baked goods are a necessity to me. I first made these cupcakes about over a year ago (maybe two?) at my grandparent's cabin over vacation and I've made them several times since. The original recipe is from this blog if you want to take a look. I hope you guys like these; they are so dang good!

| INGREDIENTS |

 Cupcakes:

-2 cups all-purpose flour

-1/4 teaspoon baking powder

-1/4 teaspoon baking soda

-1/4 teaspoon salt

-1/2 cup softened butter (1 stick)

-1 cup granulated sugar

-1 1/2 tablespoons orange zest (I used 2 oranges)

-2 eggs

-3/4 cup heavy cream

-1/4 cup fresh orange juice

-1 1/2 teaspoons orange extract

-1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Frosting: 

-1 stick softened butter

-1 stick softened cream cheese (I use the 30% less fat hard-to-pronounce stuff)

-2-3 cups confectioner's sugar

-1 teaspoon vanilla

-1/4 teaspoon orange extract (optional)

 

| DIRECTIONS |

 

| CUPCAKES |

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. In a bowl using a whisk, combine 2 cups flour, 1/4 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

3. In a relatively large mixing bowl (you'll be adding dry ingredients and cream to it) blend together 1/2 cup softened butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, and 1 and a 1/2 tablespoons orange zest using a medium-high setting on a mixer. Mix until pale and fluffy. (it will smell delicious!)

4. Mix in an egg, incorporating completely. Mix in the other egg the same way.

5. In a large liquid measuring cup, stir together the 3/4 cup heavy cream, 1/4 cup fresh orange juice (you can use the same oranges from the zest!), 1 and a 1/2 teaspoons orange extract, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. 

6. Using a low setting, start with the flour mixture and combine. Alternate with the cream mixture 3 times, also ending with the flour mixture. The batter should look something like the picture above and will be very thick.

7. Line muffin tins and fill 3/4 of the way with batter. (I used Wilton's "Color Cups" in a rainbow polka-dot pattern) Cook in the oven for 23-25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. For even baking, rotate when halfway through the cooking time.

| FROSTING | (this is my go-to for every cupcake recipe I bake)

1. With a mixer, whip together a stick of softened butter and softened cream cheese until completely combined.

2. Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla and 2-3 cups of confectioner's sugar to taste. I know that's a large margin, but it really depends on your preference! I just taste as I go until it feels like the right balance. You can also add 1/4 teaspoon of orange extract if you want some extra orange flavor.

That's all you have to do! It's pretty easy, and they are delicious. Like Cooking Classy said, if the taste is too heavy you can substitute half and half in instead of the heavy cream. For my liners I used Wilton's Color Cups in a really cute rainbow polka dot pattern. If you haven't tried any foil-lined cupcake liners, do it! They're awesome especially for chocolate cakes.

Thanks so much for reading! xo