Bouchon Bakery - Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Mix

I love the dry foods section in Williams Sonoma! The quick breads, popcorn kernels, pastas and of course...the cookie mix! I love a good oatmeal raisin cookie and when I saw this cookie mix from Thomas Keller, I HAD to try it!

Everything comes in this neat little box. There are 3 pouches that carry cookie mix, sugar and raisins. The directions are so easy. You mix everything in a mixer and all you add is butter and an egg.

 So easy and for box cookies, they turned out pretty amazing!

$18 for a box. Makes 6 large or 12 small. (I was actually able to make more than 12).

Very Very Yummy Chocolate Chip Cookies

So, you know how I love my cookies? Well I am always searching for the best recipe out there. I like traditional good ol' fashioned chocolate chip cookies. I don't particularly like nuts in them, nor do I like cookies that are too chocolatey or fudgey. I like them to be soft and chewy in the middle and crispy on the edges. Is this asking too much? What is funny is that you can put a plate of cookies that are nothing like the above description, and I will still eat them. Haha. But I still want to have a good basic recipe up my sleeve and in my freezer at all times. So I started searching and I came across this great blog Savory Sweet Life. The writer, Alice, had a post that was called The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe EVER! But everyone thinks their recipe is the best ever right? But I was intrigued by her sea salt ingredient. I am currently on a sea salt + sweet combination kick. Actually, she had me at "EVER". Something about those caps...

Highbrow Chocolate Chip Cookies

I just heard today that one of the co-founders of Trader Joe's, Theo Albrecht, has passed away today. I have been a loyal shopper for many moons and I especially love the fact that the store was created with the "over-educated and underpaid" in mind. In his honor, I am writing about my new favorite Trader Joe's item: Highbrow Chocolate Chip Cookies.

I have suddenly found myself to be overwhelmed by a desire to bake. I have been really good about eating healthy lately and I'm back to working out regularly. I am not really tempted by sweets on a regular basis, but a good cookie every once in a while? I cannot resist. So I was at the store gathering some ingredients for my baking extravaganza when I came across these cookies by the checkout. Highbrow Cookies?! These are new, I thought to myself. Their picture reminded me a little of another store bought cookie favorite of mine: Tate's Bake Shop cookies from the Hamptons that they sell at Whole Foods. Now those are certainly "highbrow". I can recall many times when I ate the whole bag in one sitting. So I bought these cookies and sure enough, they are delicious and addicting (beware)! Tate's are still a little better in my opinion, but these are a very close second. I know everyone has a different opinion when it comes to chocolate chip cookies, but if you like a crispier cookie, then you should give these a try. And as I type, this post, I am already half way through the bag. Old habits die hard.

Oatmeal Toffee Cranberry Cookies

Baking again?! I know I can hardly believe it myself, but we had reason to celebrate in our household so I had to bake something for my Husband. This is originally a Martha Stewart recipe, but Week of Menus raves about it as well. They turned out really good! But beware, there is a lot going on in this cookie. Oatmeal, chocolate, toffee and dried cranberries. Enjoy!

Martha Stewart's Oatmeal Toffee Cookies

Makes about 2 dozen 3-inch cookies

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup light-brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups oatmeal

1 cup dried cherries*

1 cup bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped*

1 cup toffee pieces, (5 1/2 ounces)*

* I used Craisins instead of dried cherries.

* I used 4 Heath bars coarsely chopped instead of a cup of toffee pieces.

* Because of the chocolate bars, I reduced my 1 cup of bittersweet chocolate to 3/4 cup.

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Sift together flour and baking soda, and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice during mixing. Add egg, and mix on high speed to combine. Add vanilla extract; mix to combine. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Add the sifted flour a bit at a time on a low speed until well combined. Add oatmeal, cranberries, chocolate, and toffee pieces; mix to combine.

Divide dough into three equal portions, and roll into logs using plastic wrap, approximately 1 1/2 inches in diameter. To bake, cut logs into 3/4-inch pieces. Bake on parchment-lined baking sheets, until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven, and transfer to a baking rack to cool.

I froze a few logs for later!

Printable Recipe

Baking

I am not a baker. I find it time consuming, difficult, and I dread the clean up. Therefore, I am very impressed by people who do bake and who do so frequently. My friend VL is an amazing baker and never ceases to amaze me with her cookies. Not only does everything taste delicious, but she is very flexible and sensitive in her baking and tailors her creations to her friends' tastes. She always remembers who doesn't like white chocolate or who prefers nuts or who likes which types of cookies. She even remembers which cookies my mother likes! It's no wonder I wait with bated breath for Christmas to come because she always brings me a tin of her famous holiday cookies. Only another 3 months!

So the reason I attempt to bake today is that I saw VL the other day and she gave me this cookie recipe brought to you by Michael Mina. I am always so inspired by VL and have been promising myself (and her) for years to bake more often. Also I feel that if I love entertaining, baking is an integral part of all that. I invite you all to follow along on my journey to learn how to bake, mishaps and all. Trust me, there will be mishaps!