If you give a girl a cookie....

If you give a girl a cookie... voucher to redeem at any time for a batch of her favorite cookies, it is likely to be used with eagerness during that week in the month when she craves certain things, especially sweets!  Remember those cute Valentine's Day debit cards that my mom gave us last month?  Well, I had one that could be redeemed for a batch of my favorite cookies made by JW.  Here's the recipe I picked out for him to use.  They were delicious!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

recipe courtesy of Betty Crocker via Pinterest

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2cups packed brown sugar
• 1 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla 
• 1 egg
• 2 cups quick cooking oats
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose or unbleached flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (6 oz) 
• 1 cup chopped nuts, if desired, (I did not desire) 

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, stir brown sugar and butter until blended. Stir in vanilla and egg until light and fluffy. Stir in oats, flour, baking soda and salt; stir in chocolate chips and nuts.
2. Onto ungreased cookie sheet, drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart.
3. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Makes 3 1/2 dozen cookies 

So, after redeeming my cookie voucher, it became Joey's to use.  This week he wanted these cookies.  I made them on Sunday and they are very good.  They taste just like thin mints! 

Chocolate Mint Chip Cookies

recipe courtesy of Two Peas & Their Pod via Pinterest

Ingredients: 

• 1-1/4 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cubed and room temperature
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 bag of mint chips- I used the Andes Mint brand

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and line baking sheets with silicone baking mat or parchment paper.

Whisk together flour, salt, baking powder and cocoa, and set aside. Beat the butter on medium-high until light and add sugars, creaming well. Add the vanilla and beat until smooth. Add the flour mixture in 2 batches, alternately with the milk in one batch, mixing well. Stir in the mint chips. Chill dough for at least 15 minutes. You can make the dough a few hours or 2 days before baking and it will be fine. Just wrap it up and keep in the fridge.

Scoop the dough onto a parchment- or silpat-lined cookie sheet, press down on them slightly, and bake for 14-15 minutes…for a normal size cookie. Let the cookies cool completely on the cookie sheet, they will set up as they cool. Store in an air-tight container, they will stay fresh for a couple of days.

If you are craving a yummy baked treat, I would recommend either one of these recipes.  They were both delicious and not too difficult to make!