chocolate chocolate hazelnut cookies

I really love the combination of chocolate and hazelnut. I know I am not alone in this and there exists already a plethora of chocolate hazelnut concoctions and recipes to satisfy but I submit this one more: the chocolate chocolate hazelnut cookie.

In addition to really loving the combination of chocolate and hazelnut, I really love a good unpretentious drop cookie. Now days it's all french macaroons and fancy cupcakes (which I adore as well) but sometimes it is nice when just a straightforward drop cookie comes along. I have noticed hardly anyone is making them from scratch anymore. I think me and you, friends, we should start a drop cookie revolution.

I made these cookies on Saturday. I had already created a doozy of a to-do list but in the slump of the afternoon (post Ikea visit- need I say more?) I snubbed my to-do list in favor of the kitchen and this batch of cookies.

The original recipe is from Ina Garten. I adapted it because The Barefoot Contessa includes white chocolate chips. I disagree with her on very few points in life and white chocolate is one of them. Instead I add to the chocolate dough base 2 (2!) bags of semi sweet chocolate chips and 1 1/2 cups of rough chopped hazelnuts. The result is more like eating a candy bar than a cookie and I am perfectly okay with that.

chocolate chocolate hazelnut cookies

1/2 pound unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 extra-large eggs at room temperature
2/3 cup good unsweetened cocoa
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 12 oz. bags semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups rough chopped hazelnuts

1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2) Cream the butter and two sugars until light an fluffy in the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment. Add the vanilla, then the eggs, one at a time, and mix well. Add the cocoa and mix again.

3) Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt and add to the chocolate with the mixer on low speed until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips and hazelnuts.

4) Drop the dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, using a 1 3/4-inch ice cream scoop or a rounded tablespoon. Dampen your hands and flatten the dough slightly.

5) Bake for exactly 15 minutes (the cookies will seem underdone- listen to wise Ina on this one. Otherwise, hockey puck cookies.) Remove from the oven and let cool slightly in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

This cookie should really be served with a glass of milk. Also good with coffee for breakfast.

mascarpone, lemon curd & cookies

I have been noticing mascarpone showing up in recipes lately. It is an Italian cheese that is kind of sweet, but mostly just marvelously creamy. It has a consistency similar to cream cheese, but is so much lovelier.
This is one of my favorite little sweet snacks: creamy mascarpone spread on a waffle cookie with a dab of lemony lemon curd.
I like to keep all the components on hand to share with friends. It is effortless, simple and just enough different to be interesting.

Of course Trader Joes makes the best mascarpone, lemon curd and waffle cookies. However, these treats can also be found at other specialty food stores. They are worth the extra trip.

pumpkin chocolate chip cookies

This recipe is from my Grandma Irene. She is a fantastic cook, collector of recipes and the classiest woman I know. As a kid, I saw a picture of Jackie O and thought it was my Grandmother. She is that classy.
I love how a particular recipe can make me feel connected to people. For example, this recipe came to me via my sister but it is originally my grandmother's. My family and I are spread out around the country, but anytime I make these cookies, I feel what it is like when we are together. Today, when I was talking to my mom, I told her I was making these cookies. I could hear that collective nostalgic sigh- for comfort and love and how that is all wrapped up in this spice laced cookie.
These cookies are fun because they are just a little bit different than the standard pumpkin treat. They also keep beautifully. The chocolate chips are my addition. I love the combination of chocolate and pumpkin, but if you don't, feel free to leave the chips out.

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies

1 1/2 cups butter, room temperature
2 cups light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 15 oz. can pumpkin
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
4 cups flour
2 cups quick oats
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt

1) Preheat the oven to 350.

2) Cream together the butter and sugars until fluffy.

3) Mix in pumpkin, egg and vanilla.

4) In a separate bowl, wisk the dry ingredients together. (I usually sift my flour before adding because I am paranoid about lumps, but please don't feel it's a requirement.)

5) Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until blended. (Yes, it is a huge batch of cookie dough. Good luck stirring. At this point, even my stand up mixer is complaining.)

6) Stir in the chocolate chips by hand.

7) Drop by tablespoons on to an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes until golden. Let the cookie sit for a couple of minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring them to cool on cookie racks.

I do not technically know how many cookies this recipe is supposed to yield. But I almost always get about 4 dozen.