The Most Delicious Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

The Most Delicious Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe. Chocolate chocolate chip cookies. Soft cookies kids love.

You are welcome. You are just welcome. This is the most delicious chocolate chip cookie recipe. It is the ultimate chocolate chip recipe. It is perfect. The cookies are soft. It is one of those foods that I can't stop eating when I have it in the house. One of the best things about this recipe is that you can give it any flavor you want to. You can make it chocolate. You can make it banana. You can make it pistachio if you want to!

When Kaitlyn was a baby and had reflux, I couldn't eat chocolate because I was breastfeeding her and when I ate chocolate, it made the reflux worse. During that year, I made the flavor cheesecake with craisins instead of chocolate chips. You can do so much with it! You can really tweak it and make it your own.

This recipe makes about 4-5 dozen cookies, so you can half it if you don't want that many. They are great friend-makers if you want to deliver them to some neighbors though!

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup butter
• 3/4 cup shortening
• 1 and 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 box instant pudding--flavor of your choice (I have used every size, but the smaller box is ideal)
• 4 cups flour
• 3 cups chocolate chips

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cream sugar, butter, shortening, and brown sugar.
3. Add in eggs and mix.
4. Add in salt, baking soda, vanilla, and pudding and mix.
5. Add in flour and mix.
6. Add in chocolate chips and mix.
7. Scoop onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 12 minutes. 

Chocolate Chip Cookie Variations:

• These are really good as Skookies (affiliate). You can buy these pans to use to make the Skookie. Skookies are cookies baked (I just put 2-3 scoops of dough per pan). When they are done baking, you put ice cream on top and add in chocolate and/or caramel topping. I usually bake cookies and save enough dough in the fridge for Skookies another night. 
• These also make great sandwiches for homemade ice cream sandwiches. 
• Try different puddings and different flavors of chips to suit your tastes.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Tips:

• I use a cookie scooper (affiliate) to make each cookie the same size. It also makes the cookie making process faster. 
• Room temperature butter is supposed to be ideal for cookies. If you forget to get it out of the fridge early enough, as I do, just microwave it for 15ish seconds. It isn't ideal, but if you are making cookies for your family and not for Pinterest, no one cares. 
• A Silpat is an incredible kitchen tool for baking. You put it on your cookie sheet under the food you bake. It is non-stick and my food seems to bake more evenly. 

Related Posts On This Blog:

• Apple Cinnamon Smoothie Recipe

  Best {Zucchini} Brownies Ever!

  Easy Breakfast Meals

  Favorite Fall Recipes

  Favorite Recipe Books and Resources

  Feed Me Friday: Autumn Soup

  Feed Me Friday: BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

  Feed Me Friday: The Best Rolls EVER

  Feed Me Friday: Black Bean Salsa Chicken Tacos

  Feed Me Friday: Beef Stew

  Feed Me Friday: Chocolate Zucchini Bread {And more zucchini recipes!}

  Feed Me Friday: Death by Zucchini Chocolate Cake

  Feed Me Friday: Fresh Salsa

  Feed Me Friday: Green Salads

  Feed Me Friday: Grilled Pizza

  Feed Me Friday: Grown-Up Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

  Feed Me Friday: Kiss Cookies

  Feed Me Friday: Overnight Waffles

  Feed Me Friday: Pumpkin Recipes

  Feed Me Friday: Sauteed Brussels Sprouts

  Feed Me Friday: Simple Fudge

  Feed Me Friday: Slowcooker Lasagna

  Feed Me Friday: The Most Amazing Baked Potatoes

  Feed Me Friday: Whole Wheat Bread

Feed Me Friday: The Most Amazing Baked Potatoes

I am all about feeding my family for cheap. I typically spend right around $100 a week on groceries to feed my family of six. I accomplish this by meal planning, buying things when they are on super sale (like, I am the crazy lady buying 30 jars of spaghetti sauce at a time), and by trying to have inexpensive meals every so often. My trouble with this goal is that I like variety in my diet. I seriously have a hard time eating the same food for dinner within 30 days. If I made spaghetti for dinner last week, I can't do it next week. It needs to a be a month or more after last week.

During the winter, however, I make baked potatoes twice a month. We live very close to the southern border of Idaho, and we get a 50 pound bag of potatoes for $10. Pretty awesome! And pretty cheap. I have to swallow my issues with the 30 day rule and embrace the baked potato. 

A few months ago, I came across a life-changing way to bake a potato. I have always really liked baked potatoes. It isn't uncommon to see me ordering that as my potato choice in a restaurant. But if I am going to eat it twice in one month, it needs to be fantastic. Amazing. 

I found it. 

You must know about it. 

So here I am.

Ingredients:

• Potatoes (I use Russet)
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt (this is the life changing part)
• Pepper
• Desired toppings

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil
3. Scrub the potatoes so they are nice and clean
4. Pat the potatoes dry. Place them on your baking sheet
5. Use a fork to prick holes all over eat potato
6. Get a little bowl and pour some olive oil in it. Get a baster  (affiliate) and coat olive oil all over each potato. You can of course just use your hands if you want to
7. Sprinkle the potatoes with salt and pepper. I sprinkle one side then flip and sprinkle the other. I think this is the key step to getting delicious potatoes.
8. Bake for 50-60 minutes. Flip every 20 minutes. I bake for at least 60 minutes. I do six potatoes at a time, and our potatoes are pretty big. I either squeeze the potato to see if it is done or I poke it with a fork. You want the skin to be crispy and the inside to be soft

Serve:

• To make getting the inside out easier, squeeze the potato all over before you cut it open. If it is super hot and you can't wait for it to cool down some, you can press it with a fork. 
• Cut the potato in half. Scoop out the inside. 
• Put your favorite toppings. We like butter, sour cream, cheese, chili, bacon, ham, peas, broccoli, salt, and pepper (not all of those things at the same time! But it is your potato...)
• I also load some toppings into my potato skins. That is my favorite part of any baked potato! My favorite is just butter and sour cream.

Favorite Fall Recipes

I love fall! I love the colors of Fall, the sights of Fall, the smells of Fall, and I super love Fall food. Here are my favorite, must-have recipes each Fall.

Pumpkin Recipes 

I obviously love Fall enough that I have already talked to you about great pumpkin recipes. We are talking cookies, latte, ice cream sandwiches (YUM!), shakes, and Alfredo.

Butterbeer

Last year was our first time making Butterbeer, and it was so fantastic! It is a new tradition for us to have this around Halloween. We have this one from Princess Pinky Girl. There are warm versions on Pinterest if you want to search it out and find one you love.

Apple Dip

Apples are in season this time of year, which means you can buy a lot for a little, which means having apple dip just makes sense. See? Logic. If you have read many of my recipe posts, you know I love Our Best Bites. This post contains affiliate links. In their first recipe book, you will find their Caramel Toffee Fruit Dip. They also have it on their website, lucky you. 

In their seasons cookbook, they have a Homemade Dulce de Leche, which is fantastic with apples.  They also have this on their website! Also in that book is my favorite pasta for Fall, Roasted Butternut Squash Pasta with Pumpkin Sauce. Seriously amazing. That is not on their website, so if you want it, you will have to get their cookbook. Which is fantastic. 

Soups

Another thing I love about Fall is that I can add soup to our weekly menu. I do a different kind of soup each week. To be honest, my kids HATE soup. Really. This is despite the fact that we have it every week all Fall and all Winter. That is 6 months of the year. A soup is a success if they say, "Hmm..this actually isn't terrible." We actually have a couple of soups they do like, and I will share one below. 

Despite them hating it, I make it every week. I always include a bread of some type because they all like breads. I don't mind them having to eat something they don't love. I think it builds character--haha! We will see what they decide to do with that experience when they are parents. Soup is usually pretty fast and easy and can often be done in a slow-cooker if needed, plus Nate and I love it. Our Best Bites has a great variety of soups on their blog and in their books. I have shared a couple of soup recipes on this blog in the past. Click on the picture to go to the post. 

Potato Cheese Soup

This recipe has a special place in my heart. My Grandmother made this for us every time we visited her. I liked it as a kid and it is one soup my kids like. You will see why. It is simple :)

Ingredients:

• Potatoes (number depends on how much soup you want. My recipe calls for 4 large potatoes. I use about 10 medium potatoes for my family). Peeled and diced
• 1 large onion, diced
• Water (enough to cover potatoes)
• 4 Tablespoons butter
• 3 Tablespoons flour
• 1/2 cup of milk
• 1 cup shredded cheese (or more--it depends on how cheesy you like it)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Parsley to taste

Method:

1. Put diced potatoes and onions in your stock pot. Cover with water. Simmer until tender.
2. Once potatoes are tender, melt butter in skillet. Add flour and heat slowly until it bubbles. Stir in milk and continue stirring and cooking until thickened. This is a roux.
3. Add roux into potato mixture. Stir in. Bring to a a boil.
4. Add cheese. Simmer until thickened.
5. Season with salt and pepper. 
6. Add parsley if desired. 
7. Eat! 

Today the BFBN is posting on meal ideas. Here are all of the posts for you to check out and enjoy!

• Quick Dinner Ideas: Gluten, Dairy, Egg, and Soy Free
• Easy dinner staples to keep on hand (and how to use them)
• How to Make Any Dinner A Quick One
• Our Favorite Quick Dinners Link
•  5 reasons i love the crock pot

Feed Me Friday: Overnight Waffles

 Brayden recently competed in a mile race run with 9 other elementary schools in our valley. The night before the big race, I wondered what would be best to feed him for breakfast the next morning. Brayden is a swimmer, and I know all about what to feed him for swim racing, but I wasn't sure how that would compare to land racing. So I asked one of my closest friends whose husband also happens to be a major marathon runner. Her suggestion was waffles.

Waffles? Ugh. Waffles are delicious and all. But waffles take time to make (unless you have an industrial waffle maker that makes a lot at once, which is nothing to snuff your nose at!). Not only would I need to make the batter, I would need to stand at the waffle iron for approximately a million hours cooking waffles. 

This post contains affiliate links. This means that if you click the link and purchase the item, I will receive a percentage of your purchase. This does not impact the cost of the item for you at all.

But I turned to my trusty Better Homes Cookbook and found an Overnight Waffles recipe. Hooray! I had never tried the recipe because typically when I am making waffles, I want them now, not tomorrow. On this day, however, I was thinking about the next day. This would cut down on the batter-making time the next morning.

"What about the million hours at the waffle iron?" I know! It didn't solve everything. Until it did! When I made the waffles the next morning, the recipe made 7-8 Belgian style waffles. The good news is that the waffles were so filling that just one per person was more than enough for most of us. So this recipe can be done the night before and isn't so big that you will spend all morning cooking the waffles. I have since doubled this recipe and it doubled well, so if you need more than 7ish waffles, you can double it. 

With a Belgian waffle, you can cater to your indecisive side. 

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 1 package active dry yeast (I use this kind, which isn't in packages. One package is 2.5 teaspoons)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 3/4 cups milk
• 2 eggs
• 1-3 cup melted butter or cooking oil

Method:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. 
2. Add vanilla, milk, eggs, and butter/oil.
3. Beat with an electric mixer until thoroughly combined.
4. Cover bowl loosely and chill overnight or up to 24 hours (this batter will rise some overnight, so that is why you need a bigger bowl).
5. Stir the batter.
6. Pour about 3/4 cup batter onto a preheated, lightly greased waffle iron.
7. Close lid quickly. Do not open lid until waffle is done. Cook according to manufacturer's instructions. 
8. When done, lift out using a fork.
9. Repeat until done.
10. Serve warm.

 

 

Other Recipes:

Find even more recipes here!

Feed Me Friday: Simple Fudge

For me, fudge is a Christmas dessert. Each year, we would spend Christmas break at my Grandmother's house. Each year, she would prepare for our arrival by cooking up many treats, including fudge. Fudge can sound like a scary thing to make, but thanks to the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook, we all can make fudge with their easy recipe. Just because it is easy doesn't mean it isn't delicious. Give it a try!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 5 ounce can of evaporated milk (2/3 cup)
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 cups tiny marshmallows
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate pieces
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional--I don't use these myself)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Method:

1. Line an 8x8x2 inch baking pan with foil, extending over the edges. Set pan aside.
2. Butter sides of a 2 quart saucepan (according to the cookbook, the size of pan is very important to being successful with fudge).
3. In saucepan, combine sugar, evaporated milk, and butter. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until mixture boils. It will take about 10 minutes to get to this point.
4. Reduce heat to medium. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, for 6 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat.
5. Add in marshmallows, chocolate, nuts and vanilla. Stir until marshmallows and chocolate melt and the mixture is combined.
6. Beat by hand for one minute. 
7. Spread fudge evenly in a prepared pan.
8. Cover and chill for 2-3 hours or until firm. 
9. Store tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to one month (like it would last that long!). 

My Addition:

I love to change up the flavor of things. This recipe calls for vanilla. I use whatever extract I feel like that day. Almond is always a favorite of mine and you can't go wrong with that. The last time I made this, I did orange extract. It tastes like those orange balls you can buy at Christmas time. I think next time, I will try mint. You could go peppermint, raspberry...whatever extract you have that you think will taste good with chocolate. 

Feed Me Friday: Fresh Salsa

When it comes to making your own homemade fresh Salsa, you can really tweak things so they work with your own tastes. This is how I make salsa.

Ingredients:

• 1 Red Onion. If you don't like red onions, you can use green onions or chives. You can also use a regular yellow or white onion, but the onion flavor will be stronger and not as sweet. 
• Peppers (your choice) as desired. You can use something more mild like a Garden Salsa pepper or spicier like a Jalapeno pepper. The number will depend on how much spice you like.
• Garlic cloves. I use about 3-4 cloves. You will want to use what is right for your taste pallet.
• 1 Tablespoon Vinegar. You can use a lot of different kinds. Sometimes I use Apple Cider Vinegar and sometimes I use Red Wine Vinegar.
• 2 Tablespoons Lime Juice. This is about one lime juiced.
• Sugar to taste. I use about 2 tsp.
• Salt to taste. I use about 2-3 tsp Kosher salt. The amount will vary on taste and on how many tomatoes you use.
• Cilantro if desired.
• Tomatoes. Roma are great for salsa because they don't have as much liquid in them. If you are using Roma, you will probably want 5-10.

Method:

1. Finely chop your onion, peppers, and garlic. I usually do a rough chop and then add to a food processor.
2. Add in the vinegar, lime juice, sugar, and salt. Stir (or pulse). Add the minimum salt amount so you can add more if needed once the tomatoes are added. 
3. Dice tomatoes. Add to mixture and stir (or pulse). If you are using a food processor, quarter tomatoes and then pulse so you don't over-chop your tomatoes. 
4. Add cilantro if desired. Stir. 
5. Taste test. Add more salt if needed.

Eat with tortilla chips!

How do you make your salsa? I love to try new ways!

Feed Me Friday: Beef Stew

This stew is simple but when cooked correctly is amazing. It takes a long time for this to cook, so start it right after you eat lunch if you want it for dinner. 

Ingredients:

• 1 pound stew meat
• Oil or butter
• 6 cups water
• 1/2 a head of cabbage--chopped finely
• Carrots as desired--chopped
• Potatoes as desired--diced (I like to use Red or Yukon Gold)
• Onion--diced
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Method:

1. Sprinkle meat with salt (I like to do Kosher salt for this).
2. In a large pot for soup (I use this (Affiliate link-->) Tramontina Enameled Cast Iron Covered Round Dutch Oven), brown stew meat with oil/butter and the diced onion.
3. Add a little of the water. Whisk the water as it boils to help deglaze the pan. 
4. Add remaining water.
5. Bring to a boil.
6. Cover and simmer for about 2 hours. Stir every so often.
7. Add cabbage, carrots, and potatoes. 
8. Add pepper to taste. Add more salt if needed, to taste.
9. Cover and simmer for at least 2 hours (yes, again). Stir every so often.

Serve with biscuits or rolls. 

Browning the meat

Adding cabbage, carrots, and potatoes

Feed Me Friday: Slowcooker Lasagna

I always try to have one slowcooker recipe in my meal plan for each week. A slowcooker recipe is fantastic for busy evenings. You can make the meal in the morning hours and have it to eat in the evening hours. This is one of my husband's favorite meals of all time. The lasagna doesn't come out pretty, but it comes out delicious.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced (my husband likes at least 4 cloves of garlic)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp salt
• Pepper to taste
• 1 tsp oregano
• 29 ounces tomato sauce
• 6 ounces tomato paste
• 1 1/2 cups cottage cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 8 ounces of no-cook lasagna noodles (though to be honest, I have used no-cook and cook and both work fine)

Method:

1. In a skillet, brown beef with onion and garlic.
2. Once browned, add in tomato sauce, tomato paste, water, salt, pepper, and oregano. Mix well. 
3. In a medium bowl, combine the cheeses.
4. In a 5 quart slowcooker, spread about 1/4 of the meat sauce (this isn't rocket science; just eyeball it).
5. Arrange 1/3 of the noodles.
6. Spoon 1/3 of the cheese mix over noodles. 
7. Repeat meat sauce, then noodles, then cheese.
8. Again, repeat meat sauce, noodles, then cheese.
9. Top with remaining meat sauce. 
10. My husband likes to add more mozzarella cheese over this final layer of sauce. 
11. Cook on low until noodles are tender. My recipe says 4-5 hours, but I have found 4 hours is too long. I like 3.5 hours. 

Serve With:

This goes well with some sort of bread--french bread, baguettes, bread sticks... I also always serve with a green vegetable such as green salad, peas, or green beans.

Feed Me Friday: Kiss Cookies

Kiss cookies always remind me of my grandmother. She always had them at her house at Christmas. I must add, while I typically always like cookie dough better than the cookie, with the kiss cookie, I like the cookie better than the dough. Though as you saw earlier this week, Brinley doesn't care much about my opinion on the dough vs. cookie status.

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter or shortening
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1 egg
• 2 T milk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• Additional sugar
• Candy Kisses

Method:

1. Mix ingredients together. Start with dry ingredients, then add in wet. 
2. Roll dough into balls. I usually get 1 heaping teaspoon to a tablespoon of dough and roll it. The size of your ball will impact the size of your cookie. There isn't anything exact here.
3. Roll the ball in a bowl of sugar. Place on cookie sheet.
4. Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes.
5. Remove from oven. While still hot, push a kiss into the center of the cookie. Don't push it so far that you break the cookie in half or push through the cookie. You want it in the cookie, but not breaking the cookie.

Apple Cinnamon Smoothie Recipe

I typically do recipes on Fridays, but I also do giveaways on Fridays and we have a lot of great giveaways lined up. So this is a Feed Me Friday on a Thursday.

I make a smoothie pretty much daily. I like to experiment and try different things. I recently put together a smoothie that Brayden and I both really like. As I was drinking it yestesrday morning, I thought, "I need to write this down so I don't forget the ingredients. Oh! I should share it with my readers! Oh I better take a picture of it!" And so you see very little smoothie left. I was drinking faster than I was thinking :) This is a very good, autumn-y flavored smoothie. It comes in just over 300 calories per serving (half of the recipe is what I call one serving. The recipe fills two large glasses and one small one).

Ingredients:

• 2-4 Tablespoons oatmeal (I like 2 per person when I am making a smoothie). Note this is real oatmeal--not quick oatmeal.
• 2-4 Tablespoons flax seeds (I like 2 per person when I am making a smoothie).
• 1 Tablespoon agave nectar (or honey works)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 banana
• 2 apples
• 16 ounces milk
• 1/2-1 tsp vanilla (I just eyeball this)
• Handful of ice

Method:

1. I start by putting my oatmeal and flax seeds into my blender. I then pulse it several times to break it down a bit before blending it all together. I don't find this necessary for just oatmeal, but flax seeds benefit from this step.
2. Add milk.
3. Add peeled banana.
4. Cut and core apples and add them.
5. Add the cinnamon, agave/honey, and vanilla.
6. Add ice.
7. Mix and serve!

What is your favorite smoothie combination?

Feed Me Friday: Grilled Pizza

Grilled pizza is one of our favorite summer time foods. It is quite simple.

Ingredients:

• Pizza dough (you can buy pizza dough or make your own--you can use any breadstick/roll recipe you like)
• Desired ingredients. Think about your sauces (alfredo, BBQ, marinara...), cheeses, veggies (spinach, olives, tomatoes...), herbs (oregano, basil...), meat (chicken, pepperoni, canadian bacon, bacon...), and fruits.

Method:

1. Make dough if needed.
2. Warm grill.
3. Divide your dough evenly into the number of pizzas you need.
4. Roll out each piece of dough. If you like, you can use a large bowl to cut your dough into a circle. That is purely for aesthetics, though. I like to roll mine out on a very well-floured surface and make the dough so it isn't sticky at all.
5. Grill one side of the dough. Remove from grill.
6. Add toppings that are desired--put them on the grilled side.
7. Grill the other side of the dough with toppings on. Grill until dough is cooked and cheese is melted. 

My favorite flavor combo for homemade pizza is chicken with BBQ sauce, olives, and mozzarella cheese. That isn't my favorite pizza normally, but it is my favorite for homemade pizza.

We also like Alfredo sauce with chicken, olives, tomatoes, basil, oregano, garlic, spinach, and mozzarella. This kids like old fashioned marinara with pepperoni. Kaitlyn actually likes her grilled pizza with no sauce and just some olive oil spread on it as it grills with some cheese and pepperoni. Nate pretty much likes any combo if there is bacon involved. 

Feed Me Friday: Green Salads

I love a green salad for a side to almost any summer meal. You can also make a green salad your main dish! This summer, with having all of the lettuce we get from the garden, my intention is to have one day a week be salad day, so I would love to hear your favorite salads. As a side note, if you enjoy making salads and don't own a Salad Spinner, it is well worth your investment.

There are many variations to a green salad we enjoy. Here are some.

Vegetable Salad:

We just put in whatever we have around to go in the salad. We enjoy:

• Tomatoes
• Cucumbers
• Carrots
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Cheese
• Red onion
• Crumbled bacon
• Boiled eggs
• Olives
• Black beans
• Grilled chicken
• Something for crunch, like sunflower seeds, croutons, or slivered almonds

Mandarin Orange Salad:

This one is a bit more fruity. Here are some things you can add:

• Crumbled bacon
• Red onion
• Swiss cheese
• Mandarin oranges
• Mushrooms
• Slivered almonds, toasted

Strawberry Spinach Salad:

This is another fruity one:

• Spinach
• Slice strawberries
• Red onion
• Slivered almonds, toasted

Poppy Seed Dressing

You must have a good dressing to go with your salad. This poppy seed tastes great with a vegetable salad or a fruit salad--I usually half this recipe:

• 3/4 cup vinegar
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp dry mustard
• 1 1/2 cups oil
• 1 1/2 T poppy seeds

Blend vinegar, sugar, salt, and dry mustard. Then add oil and blend. Pour into serving cup/dish (I use this Salad Dressing Shaker--you can just make it all in there if you can shake hard enough to mix it) and then add poppy seeds and shake well.

What are your favorite salad combos?