I wanted to play around with my usual cheesecake recipe.  It is a recipe that I have made up after experimenting a bit and trying out a few different recipes (and tasting far too many cheesecakes baked by friends and family). While I like to try new recipes, I tend to fall back on this one time and time again. It has been a while since I have made it and was craving a cool and creamy dessert. I most recently made the Dorie Greenspan cheesecake recipe and while I was pleased with the results, it was just too creamy for my liking (as the name suggests it came out tall and creamy). If that is your thing then I recommend her recipe as the flavor was wonderful.

I prefer my cheesecake to be a little more dense and sturdy yet creamy and smooth. While I enjoy plain cheesecake, I wanted to play around with the flavor a bit this go around. After much consideration I decided to try my hand at an almond flavored cheesecake. I took my basic recipe and added chopped almonds to the crust along with almond extract and almond paste to the filling to intensify the flavor. To top it all off I drizzled warm caramel or chocolate over the slices and garnished with toasted Almonds.

Overall, I would say that this cheesecake was a success if for no other reason than it was gorgeous, not one crack! The crust  provided a nice balance of sweetness and nutiness and was the perfect base for the smooth filling. I had never worked with Almond Paste before and found that the best way to incorporate it into the batter was to great it fine and whirl it in the food processor with the sugar. This ensured the almond paste would get mixed thouroughly into the batter and no clumps of paste would threaten the creamy texture I was after. The flavor of the almond in the finished cake was noticible and pleasant without being overwhelming. I enjoyed it but I am not 100% satisfied so I plan on playing around some more with the flavor. I may cut back on the extract and add some Amaretto to deepen the flavor profile more and reduce some of the ‘artificial’ almond flavor I feel the extract provides.

Even though I was not completely sold on the flavor, the texture kept me coming back for more! The nutty crust and creamy cheesecake kept calling my name so, fork in hand, I would happily nosh away. This cheesecake is firm right out of the fridge but is not so solid that you can not cut through each slice with your fork, just smooth and silky goodness. After coming to room temperature it still holds its shape well even when topped with caramel and nuts. I must admit that I do prefer the cold cheesecake best, especially drizzled with warm caramel, fudge and topped with nuts. I highly recommend making this a day or two before serving and garnishing this cheesecake with toasted nuts!
Really, though, don’t be afraid to make this your own by mixing up the flavors.  For a plain cheesecake omit the almond extract and almond paste and add 1 TBS Vanilla extract with the addition of the 3rd egg.

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I rate this recipe an 8

Smooth and Creamy Almond Cheesecake
by bakingblonde

For the crust:
1  cup graham cracker crumbs
1 cup chopped almonds
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted

.
3 pkgs. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1 can (14 oz.)  Sweetened Condensed Milk  (fat free works fine)
1/4 cup sour cream
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup Almond Paste, grated
2 TBS flour
3 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

* Toasted Almonds for garnish (optional but totally recommended)

Preheat oven to 300° F. Grease 9-inch springform pan.

Fill an oven safe cake pan (I use a 9×9 pan) 3/4 full with warm water. Set on bottom oven rack while oven is preheating.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, almonds and butter, stir to combine.  Press onto bottom and 1 inch up side of prepared pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Remove and increase oven temperature to 350.

For the filling:
In the bowl of a food processor pulse the sugar and almond paste until it resembles a course meal. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl beat cream cheese until creamy. Add sweetened condensed milk,  sugar/almond paste and flour. Beat to combine.  Add  eggs one at a time beating only to combine after each addition. When adding the third egg, also add the almond extract; beat until combined.

Gently pour batter evenly into prebaked crust.

Bake in preheated oven for 40-60 minutes or until edge is set and center moves slightly. Watch carefully and do  not overbake.

Shut oven off and allow cheesecake to cool in oven for 1-4  hours. Run a warm knife around edge of cheesecake after 1 hour.

Place in fridge to cool completely. (Remove the pan of water)

Allow to chill at least 24 hours before serving for best flavor and texture.

This recipe caught my eye several weeks ago. I was searching for a dessert recipe to use up a can of Sweetened Condensed milk and was in the mood for somthing different than my usual Magic Cookie Bars. This reipce combines several of my favorite flavors: Chocolate, Peanut Butter and Marshmallows. Another great thing about this recipe is that it uses a boxed cake mix keeping the ingredient list small.

While these were a breeze to whip up, it was a little time consuming. First you need to make and par bake the chocolate base. Next you need to make the filling, pour over the partially baked crust and then bake again. From start to finish these took about an hour for me, which on a hot summer day can feel like torture.

I also had a difficult time evenly spreading the sticky marshmallow/peanut butter filling over the crust. The filling was thick and way to hard to spread even with a buttered knife/spoon/spatula (maybe I was just having an off day). I ended up plopping spoonfulls of filling all over the crust and then with a greased knife did the best I could at trying make sure the crust was covered entirely. This worked well as the filling did thin and spread while baking.

The flavor of these bars made up for my frustrations while preparing them. They came out of the oven smelling faintly of peanut butter with bubbling marshmallow peeking through the chocolate topping just begging to be enjoyed. I waited about 30 minutes and then ate one warm. Don’t overbake as they are supposed to be a bit gooey when you take them out, they will firm up a bit as they cool.

The crust was sturdy but not hard, the filling had a subtly noticable peanut butter flavor and very similar to cheesecake in texture but gooier. Overall these were really great brownies and were enjoyed by all, even the non-peanut butter lovers (yes they do exist). While these brownies were yummy, they don’t beat out my favorite!

I did adapt this recipe a bit (based on my preferences and reviews) as reflected below and would recomend you do the same. Next time I will add some chopped Reese’s PB cups over the top of the brownies the last 10 minutes of baking to marry together the two flavors more fully.

I rate these brownies an 8

Gently press about 2/3 of the dough into the bottom of the prepared baking pan (using floured hands if needed); pat down evenly, the layer will be thin.

I will keep this post simple and sweet, much like these bars. I had some Peanut Butter to use up and was craving a Peanut Butter/Chocolate combo sweet treat. With the summer heat teetering on being ‘oppresive’ I knew I did not want to use my oven. After a quick search on Allrecipes.com I found this recipe and it fit the bill: Peanut Butter (check), Chocolate (check), No Bake (check). I found the Trifecta!

These came together in less than 10 minutes and after a quick chill in the freezer (I was impatient to try one) they set up nicely. I did change up the recipe a bit based on some of the reviews and have noted those changes in parenthesis.

Overall these were quick, simple and delicious. I am not sure they would make these if I needed to impress guests with presentation, but they sure did satisfy my craving in a pinch. I would give these a try if you are a fan of Reese’s PB cups as these taste very similar. I can’t decide if I like them soft at room temperature or a little more firm right from the fridge. Either way, I ate way too many.

I am crumbling the remaining bars over chocolate ice cream for a cool summer treat!

I rate this recipe an 8

Peanut Butter Cup Bars
adapted from Allrecipes

In a metal bowl over simmering water, or in the microwave, melt the chocolate chips with the peanut butter, stirring occasionally until smooth. Spread over the prepared crust.

I rarely bake breakfast treats, but after tasting these muffins I think I may be doing it more often. I adapted a recipe from Annie’s Eats (a great food blog for everything from appetizers to dessert) and found a recipe that caught my eye. These muffins were great for not only breakfast but they also made for a satisfying dessert with a scoop of icecream. While I found the recipe on Annie’s Eats, the muffin recipe originally comes from Williams Sonoma and was exactly what I was looking for in a muffin.

The recipe made about 10 muffins and the batter came together very quickly. After baking, the end result yeilded golden muffins with a crisp topping gently covering their  light and fluffy texture. The light and tender crumb is thanks to the use of buttermilk in the batter. As noted, I opted to use a basic crumb topping instead of dipping the muffins into melted butter and then into a  cinnamon sugar topping as called for in the original muffin recipe and I am more than pleased with the results. Besides, who needs a muffin dipped in melted butter? 

The muffin itself has a slightly sweet and subtle cinnamon flavor and bakes up with a moist, tender and fluffy crumb. I felt it was a nice contrast to the sweet brown sugar and cinnamon crumb streusel that gives the muffins a crisp top and gorgeous appearance, sure to impress company if needed. 

Next time I may add some chopped toasted walnuts to the batter or the topping for a little extra flavor punch. I would highly recommend these the next time you have some buttermilk to use up or are just looking for an easy and flavorful muffin recipe. 

I rate this recipe an 8

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each three-fourths full.

Oh yes, the Chocolate Chip Cookie. I may have found my new Go-To recipe!!
Many bakers seem to be searching for the perfect chocolate chip cookie. I too, have been searching for the ‘perfect chocolate chip cookie’ I do have a tried and true recipe that I fall back on that I know will not fail me but like many bakers, continue to seek out and try new versions of this classic. I have received almost a dozen emails from my blog readers requesting I try another chocolate chip cookie recipe and several have requested this recipe in particular. It comes from my beloved Alton Brown.

Several bloggers have already tried other versions of his chocolate chip cookie recipe so I decided to go with a recipe that I have had saved for over a months now. I was emailed the recipe by a friend and I do not own the book from which it originates, if my citing is wrong, please drop me a line and let me know.

I chose this recipe for a few reasons. It calls for no special ingredients,  it calls for an unusual method of mixing the ingredients and it implements the use of unconventional baking temperatures. Like my last cookie recipe, no mixer is needed to whip up this recipe, however, a little arm power is essential for adequatley mixing the chips into the dough. The dough came together in less than 15 minutes and after a short chilling in the fridge (the recipe does not require this but I feel it enhances the flavor of the baked cookie) these were ready to bake.  As stated before, unlike usual cookie recipes that call for one constant baking temperature, this one starts the cookies out at a higher temperature and then has you lower the temperature right after placing them into the oven to bake. I am asuming the higher initial temperature helps set the edges and the lowering of the temperature ensures consistent baking (no burnt bottoms and underbaked centers) producing a cookie with crisp edges and soft, chewy centers. What better combination in a cookie??

The texture of these cookies is great, everything I would look for in a cookie, phenomenal actually. They are slighlty crisp around the edges and soft and chewy in the middles.  They taste great out of the oven (after cooling for 10 minutes). I can’t wait to try them after they cool completly.
The depth of the flavor is also phenomenal, the perfect combination of brown sugar and butter. I was surprised that the cookies came out as chewy as they were and that thebrown sugar flavor was as pronounced as it was, given I used equal proportions of white and brown sugar. Once again I used a combination of milk and semi-sweet chocolate chips and found that proportion was just perfect in my opinion, sweet but not overly so.

I do have two complaints about this cookie. First, the finished cookies were too greasy in my opinion.  After realizing this with the first pan, I allowed the cookies to cool for 5 minutes on the sheet and then transferred to paper-towel lined cooling racks to cool completly. This seemed to help soak up a bit of the grease. Second, you really need to monitor the cookies closely while baking as you need to constantly increase and decrease the temperature of the oven. This was fine today as I was in the kitchen cleaning, however, these may not be ideal for those who are multi-tasking and want to bake up a batch of cookies quickly (it took my oven 5 minutes to reheat to 375 between baking the batches).

Overall I loved these cookies. So much so that I am going to make another batch tomorrow for a party. I will decrease the butter by a 1/2 stick to see if that helps with the greasiness of the baked cookies. If I can make these less greasy while maintaining the flavor these may be my new favorite cookie. If you try adapting this recipe with great results PLEASE leave me a comment and let me know!

One last thing, Alton also gives directions on how to bake the dough as one large pan cookie which would be perfect for birthdays, anniversaries and parties. I would love to try baking it this way and then decorating with a little buttercream frosting!

I rate these cookies an 8
Only because I thought they were too greasy in my opinion, these would be at least a 9 for flavor and texture alone

Chocolate Chip Cookie #10 
Alton Brown’s I’m Just Here for More Food Cookbook

2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt (I only used 1/2 tsp and felt that was enough)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup un salted butter, melted and slightly cooled (I used salted butter, like always) **
2 cups chocolate chips (1 used 1 cup semi-sweet and 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees*.

In a large mixing bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the melted and cooled butter, sugars, egg yolks and vanilla until combined. 

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture, pour in the butter mixture and  fold the ingredients together just until combined. Add the chocolate chips and fold to combine. Do not overmix.
I chilled my dough for 2 hours because I always do, but Alton does not call for this step.

For individual cookies, use a spoon or a disher and dish out your cookies, 2 inches apart, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. *

Bake for 12-15 minutes (Mine were done in 12).
Let cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack or paper towel-lined counter top.

*As soon as you put the cookies or cookie cake into the oven, turn the temperature down to 350 degrees. Alton Brown swears by this initial temperature boost.

Alternate Option:
For a cookie cake, dump the dough into an ungreased pizza pan or whatever kind of pan you have and gently press down until the dough is evenly distributed around the pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or light golden brown.

**UPDATE: 5/4/09:
I made these again, only this time I used only 1 1/2 sticks butter (12 TBS) and found the baked cookies to be less greasy without sacrificing the flavor. I did chill the dough overnight so that may help keep and enhance the flavor of these cookies. I highly recommend chilling the dough at least a few hours before baking.
I also allowed the cookies to cool on paper-towel lined cooling racks for about 5 minutes and then transferred them to a regular cooling rack to cool completley. I found the paper towels to help absorb any grease from the warm cookies while the regular cooling rack allowed the bottoms of the cookies to firm up alowing the edges to become crisp upon cooling achieving the texture I  desire.
All in all I would recommend this recipe and suggest you play around with butter amounts and cooking/cooling methods that suit your tastes and preferences. I can’t wait to make them again!

One of my favorite treats is the Scotcharoo.. You know, those addicting Rice Krispies treats that pack a mouthwatering butterscoth flavor that keeps you coming back. I didn’t have Peanut Butter or enough Rice Krispies on hand to make a batch of Scotcharoos so I decided to make some cookies that called for Rice Krispies and incorporated that same great butterscotch flavor.  I used this recipe but adapted it a bit. 

The end result is a flavorful cookie with a crisp exterior and a chewy yet crispy interior. The flavor enhanced as they cooled and the Rice Krispies made sure the texture of the cookies was light and crisp.. The texture of these cookies is chewy with crisp little pops of the Rice Krispies in each bite. The combination of butterscotch chips and Rice Krispies is a winner in my book.

If you are looking for a cookie that is a little different from your usualy chocolate chip cookie, give these a try.  Next time I will substitute Peanut Butter for some of the butter and add some chocolate chips in addition to the butterscotch chips. I can’t wait to make these again and feel that these changes will push these babies over the edge into greatness. 

 I rate these cookies an 8

Buterscotch Rice Krispies Cookies
AKA Scotcharoo Cookies

1 1/4  cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoons baking powder
1/2  teaspoon salt
1/2  teaspoon baking soda
1 stick unslated butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons hot water
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cups Rice Krispies
1  cups Butterscotch chips
 In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until combined after each. Mix in hot water and vanilla. Add flour mixture, in two batches, beating just until combined – be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Using a wooden spoon, fold in butterscotch chips and Rice Krispies. Cover and refrigerate for 30 min. or longer. 

Preheat oven to 375. Scoop out tablespoons of the dough and roll into balls. Place all balls on one baking sheet, and chill at least 30 min. Remove from fridge and place 12 balls on cookie sheet at a time. Bake until the middle looks just set and the edges begin to turn a light golden – about 8-12 minutes. Remove and let sit on the sheet for a minute. Move cookies to a wire rack and let cool completely.

 While these cookies took a bit to make (with all the chilling time), they were well worth the work. Their small size means you get a lot of cookies with one batch of dough. The Butterscotch Chip and Rice Krispie combo is a winner!

Let me start by saying how much I missed you guys while taking the month of March off from blogging. I received so many emails with recipes while I was gone that it was hard to decide. So many people suggested I make another cheesecake and offered up several recipes. Being the lover of cheesecake that I am, I decided to take them up on their suggestion. After careful consideration and looking at several recipes sent to me, I decided to make Dorie’s Tall and Creamy Cheesecake. I have had my eye on this cheesecake for months, ever since the Tuesdays with Dorie bloggers made it.

I  already have a tried and true cheesecake recipe that I love but wanting to step out of my comfort zone, I was excited to try Dorie’s recipe.  The batter comes together in less than 10 minutes but it does require over two hours bake and cooling time, in addition to that, it is best to allow the cheesecake to chill overnight before serving. I feel the taste and texture of a cheesecake only improves over time.  I baked it in the afternoon and allowed to chill for a day and a half before trying a slice.

Wow, the name describes this cheesecake perfectly. With 2lbs of cream cheese, heavy cream, sour cream and sugar, this dessert is not for the calorie-conscious, but let me tell you, it is so worth the time on the treadmill and a little slice is more than satisfying. The texture is creamy, smooth and rich. It is just what you would want in a cheesecake. The flavor, oh my that flavor!  I love the addition of sour cream (which my stand-by recipe does not have) to add a suble tang that excites your tastebuds and pairs beautifully with the sweetness of the crust (and any toppings you may add).

I used a water bath and had no problems with cracks except for a few minor ones around the edges. The edges also got a little more brown than what I would have liked for a clean presentation of the plain cheesecake. I was serving this by the slice so I added the toppings before serving which eliminated the presentation problem.

I would make this again, however I don’t know if this will be my go-to recipe. I really do love my old stand-by  and have never had problems with overbrowning or cracking of the edges with that one. Overall, I enjoyed this recipe and encourage you to try it, or at the very least check out the Tuesdays with Dorie bloggers who made it and drool over their pictures and descriptions.

I rate this recipe an 8

Tall and Creamy Cheesecake
 Dorie Greenspan

For the crust:
1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted

For the cheesecake:
2 pounds (four 8-ounce boxes) cream cheese, at room temperature
1 1/3 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/3 cups sour cream or heavy cream, or a combination of the two*
               *I used 1 cup heavy cream and 1/3 cup sour cream

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Butter a 9-inch springform pan—choose one that has sides that are 2 3/4 inches high (if the sides are lower, you will have cheesecake batter leftover)—and wrap the bottom of the pan in a double layer of aluminum foil; put the pan on a baking sheet.

Stir the crumbs, sugar and salt together in a medium bowl. Pour over the melted butter and stir until all of the dry ingredients are uniformly moist. (I do this with my fingers.) Turn the ingredients into the buttered springform pan and use your fingers to pat an even layer of crumbs along the bottom of the pan and about halfway up the sides. Don’t worry if the sides are not perfectly even or if the crumbs reach above or below the midway mark on the sides—this doesn’t have to be a precision job. Put the pan in the freezer while you preheat the oven.

Place the springform on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Set the crust aside to cool on a rack while you make the cheesecake.

Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.

To make the cheesecake:
Put a kettle of water on to boil.

Working in a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese at medium speed until it is soft and lives up to the creamy part of its name, about 4 minutes. With the mixer running, add the sugar and salt and continue to beat another 4 minutes or so, until the cream cheese is light. Beat in the vanilla. Add the eggs one by one, beating for a full minute after each addition—you want a well-aerated batter. Reduce the mixer speed to low and stir in the sour cream and/or heavy cream.

Put the foil-wrapped springform pan in the roaster pan.

Give the batter a few stirs with a rubber spatula, just to make sure that nothing has been left unmixed at the bottom of the bowl, and scrape the batter into the springform pan. The batter will reach the brim of the pan. (If you have a pan with lower sides and have leftover batter, you can bake the batter in a buttered ramekin or small soufflé mold.) Put the roasting pan in the oven and pour enough boiling water into the roaster to come halfway up the sides of the springform pan.

Bake the cheesecake for 1 hour and 30 minutes, at which point the top will be browned (and perhaps cracked) and may have risen just a little above the rim of the pan. Turn off the oven’s heat and prop the oven door open with a wooden spoon. Allow the cheesecake to luxuriate in its water bath for another hour.

After 1 hour, carefully pull the setup out of the oven, lift the springform pan out of the roaster—be careful, there may be some hot water in the aluminum foil—remove the foil. Let the cheesecake come to room temperature on a cooling rack.

When the cake is cool, cover the top lightly and chill the cake for at least 4 hours, although overnight would be better.

Serving:
Remove the sides of the springform pan— I use a hairdryer to do this (use the dryer to warm the sides of the pan and ever so slightly melt the edges of the cake)—and set the cake, still on the pan’s base, on a serving platter. The easiest way to cut cheesecake is to use a long, thin knife that has been run under hot water and lightly wiped. Keep warming the knife as you cut slices of the cake.

Storing:
Wrapped well, the cake will keep for up to 1 week in the refrigerator or for up to 2 months in the freezer. It’s best to defrost the still-wrapped cheesecake overnight in the refrigerator.

I have had a jar of honey in my pantry for about three months now. I picked a couple of jars up at a little market along with some fresh herbs. I love honey and usually eat it on toast or a bagel along with some peanut butter or drizzled on top of my oatmeal. After three months I was itching to try something new with the last jar in my pantry. I came across this recipe (looks like a great blog, glad I found it) and decided to adapt it a bit because I wanted a cookie similar to drop sugar cookies with a mild honey flavor. I did this by excluding the chocolate, increasing the flour and rolling the dough balls in sugar before baking.  I am very happy with the  way these cookies turned out!!

The dough came together incredibly quick and easy. I warmed my honey for a few seconds in the microwave to make it easier to pour and measure (be sure to spray your measuring cup with PAM before measuring so the honey slides right out). I did allow it to cool a bit before adding to the mixing bowl though. Let me tell ya, this dough tastes phenomenal.

The cookies baked up nice and golden with a slighlty crisp exterior that gives way to a chewy interior. You can smell mild notes of honey which tempt your senses.   The flavor of the honey is noticeable yet not overpowering. It compliments the overal flavor and texture of the cookie nicely. If you want a chewy cookie, these are best eaten a bit warm as they do firm up a bit after cooling (but still remain chewy if stored in a sealed container because of the honey). Either way they are a great cookie for those looking for something a little different than your usual cookies when your sweet tooth calls.

Next time I will add toasted nuts to the dough, maybe pecans or almonds. I think they will compliment the flavors of the dough nicely and create a phenomenal cookie!  I also want to make them with some Honey Buttercream or Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting sandwiched between two of these cookies!

I rate this cookie an 8

Honey Sugar Cookies
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
1 cup sugar (for rolling)

Preheat oven to 300. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. 
In a mixing bowl combine flour, soda, and salt. 
Cream together the butter and sugar. Add the honey and cream well.
Slowly add the flour mixture and mix until just encorporated. Finish by hand if needed. Do not over mix the dough.

Chill dough for 10 minutes.

Drop dough by rounded spoonfulls into bowl of sugar and roll to coat. Place on prepared baking sheet and bake for 15-18 minutes until edged are golden and set. 
Allow to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transfering to rack to cool completely.  

*I chilled the dough a bit before baking so the cookies did not spread too much. If you chill too long though the honey will harden and make the dough hard to scoop out.

Lucky me, I have no food allergies that I know of making cooking and baking (and consuming all of that food) a breeze.
I got the idea for these cookies after a friend of mine asked me to bake some cookies for her son Jake’s  birthday party.  The only request she made was that they be egg free (I guess one of his cousin’s is allergic to them). Knowing that Jake loves my chocoalte chip cookies I really wanted to make them for his birthday. The only problem is that they contain eggs. Well, after reading some cookbooks at the library I discovered several cookie recipes that do not call for eggs but instead use cream cheese (not necassarily as a substitute).

I decided to give it a whirl and use cream cheese in place of the eggs in my chocolate chip cookie recipe. Eggs are usually used in a recipe to provide moisture (the yolk) and structure (the whites). The cream cheese adds the moisture and helps create the structure needed in the cookie without drying them out (as egg whites do).

The result? Wonderful! They came out much better than I ever could have expected. Just like the original, their texture is spot-on.  A slightly crisp outside gives way to a chewy interior that is far from cake-like.  They sport a paler color than their egg-using-counterparts making it very easy to overbake them. I removed mine from the oven when the bottoms began to tan and the edges were pale yet set. I noticed that the cookies had a somewhat shiny gloss to them after they had baked making them hard to resist! You could not taste the cream cheese at all but they did have a slightly different flavor than the original (not in a bad way).
These also stayed soft (with a slight crisp exterior) for two days in a covered container. They did not last after that but I am sure with the cream cheese in them, they would stay soft for several days.

I can’t wait to try substituting cream cheese for the eggs in a few more cookie recipes!

I rate this recipe an 8

Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies
adapted from America’s Test Kitchen

2 cups plus 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
12 Tbsp (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted & cooled until room temp
5-6 oz. cream cheese softened
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

*I chilled the dough overnight before baking, which I recommend.

Adjust oven racks to upper & lower -middle positions & heat oven to 325. (Don’t do if chilling overnight)
Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Whisk dry ingredients together; set aside.With electric mixer, or by hand.
Mix butter and cream cheese together with a mixture until smooth. Add sugars and beat until thoroughly combined.
Beat in vanilla until combined.
Add dry ingredients & beat at low speed just until combined. Stir in chips. Chill dough overnight. OR

Drop dough onto parchment lined baking sheets and bake for 12-14 minutes or until edges are set and bottoms are light brown. Do NOT overbake!

Cool cookies on sheets until able to lift without breaking and place on wire rack to cool.

*Update: 12/26/08:
After a bit of searching on the internet, I found that someone else has tried this as well!

I love fall, the cooler weather makes it the perfect time for baking. Usually, when baking for myself, I lean toward recipes that involve peanut butter or chocolate or a combination of both! Today I turned to a new cookbook I received for my birthday, The Taste of Home Cookbook. I would highly recommend you add this cookbook to your collection. It offers everything from appetizers to desserts and many of the recipes are simple and use ingredients often already found in your kitchen.

After paging through all of the cake, brownie cookies and bar recipes I decided I was in the mood for some cookies. What drew me to this recipe was that these cookies are meant to be slice and bakes. You prep the dough, form into logs, wrap in Seran Wrap and chill until ready to bake. When the craving hits, you just cut off slices of dough and bake as many as you like. How perfect is that for times when you crave only a few cookies or when you have friends stop by unexpectedly and you want to serve up some yummy treats in a snap?

I was very impressed by this recipe and the dough was sooooo yummy.  I prepped the dough as directed but then instead of forming all of the dough into logs as the recipe states, I baked some right away as drop cookies. Let me tell you, as much as I love chocolate and peanut butter, these cookies were great! They have a depth of flavor lacking in most cookies and were so tender (bordering on cakey but not overly so). After cooling they remained tender and the brown sugar/butterscotch flavor became more pronounced and was enhanced with the pieces of pecans and toffee bits.

I formed the remaining dough into logs as directed and chilled. After 5 hours I sliced and baked cookies from the chilled logs of dough. These cookies were great as well. They were not puffy like the first batch and had a nice crisp exterior that you can see in the pictures.

I imagine you could bake thicker slices for a thicker cookie but I followed the directions and sliced mine 1/2 inch thick. Next time I may slice them thicker and see if that changes their texture. If I had to choose between baking the dough right away as drop cookies and forming into logs to slice and bake later I would choose the former. I enjoyed the texture more. Either way, however, these cookies are great. Next time I may form the dough into balls and then chill and freeze until ready to bake to keep the convenience of baking a few at a time and still achieve the texture I enjoyed more!
*I have included pictures of both the drop and the slice and bake cookies.

I highly suggest you make these soon. Bake a few right away and form the rest into logs for later. You  be the judge of which way you prefer to enjoy this winning recipe! I loved them and will be making them time and time again. I may even add mini chocolate chips next time to jazz them up, but honestly, they really don’t need anything more in my opinion!

I rate these cookies (drop method) a 9
I rate these cookies (slice and bake) an 8

Double Butterscotch Cookies
Taste of Home Cookbook (recipe is halved)

1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup shortening (I used trans-fat free butter flavored Crisco)
2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 TBS vanilla
3 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup English Toffee bits (like Heath bar bits)
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans (I toasted mine first)

Preheat oven to 350 (if going to bake immediately)
In a large bowl cream the butter, shortening and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.
In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt. Stir to combine. Gradually add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and mix until combined. Gently fold in the toffee bits and nuts.
*If baking immediately, drop dough by spoonfuls onto parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 8-9 minutes until edges are set and light brown. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to wire rack to cool completely.

Shape dough into 2 12 inch rolls Wrap each in Seran wrap. Chill for 4 hours or unitl firm.
When ready to bake:
Preheat oven to 350. Unwrap and cut into 1/2 inch slices. Place 2 inches apart on parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until lighlty browned. Cool for 1-2 minutes on sheet before transferring to wire rack to cool completely.

*UPDATE: Ok, seriously, this dough tastes FANTASTIC out of the fridge, I am slicing off pieces just to eat! The flavor is amazing after chilling 1 day and the nuts and toffee bits only enhance the deep butterscotch flavor! It tastes a lot like an uncooked blondie!