Double chocolate m&m cookies

If you are a chocolate fan, then this chocolate cookie will definitely become your most favorite cookie if you taste it one time. Cookies are my favorites to make, but I bake special desserts like this only during Christmas, Easter or for some church functions, festivals, or for my niece. I think this is the first dish that made her fall in love with my cooking. Chocolate is not my hubby's  favorite flavor. So I won't make anything with chocolate unless I find a reason (still I crave for chocolate).  For the first time I made this cookie while we went to meet my niece in her dorm, after that this has became a regular code for her and me to say our love for each other ☺️Also these 'chocolate chip m&m cookies' tastes  extremely delicious and 'rich' and definitely a 'crowd pleaser' for all festivals.

Double chocolate chip m&m cookies

Ingredients:

Dry ingredients:

All purpose flour - 2 cup

Coco powder - 2/3 cup 

Baking soda - 3/4 tsp

Salt - 1/4 tsp

Creaming wet ingredients:

Butter - 1 cup (2 stick)

White sugar - 3/4 cup

Brown sugar - 3/4 cup

Egg - 2 (large)

Vanilla extract - 2 tsp

Lemon juice - 1 tbsp

Others:

M&M- 3/4  cup + 1/4 cup (or lesser as per need)

Chocolate chip - 1 cup

Method:

First the wet ingredients: Melt the butter (microwave for 30 seconds). Pour it into a large mixing bowl (or kitchenaid stand mixer bowl).

Mix the butter , sugar manually by using a whisk or by using stand mixer whisk attachment or a hand mixer.

Add egg, vanilla, lemon juice and mix well till sugar is dissolved.

Next comes the dry ingredients:

Sift the flour into the mixing bowl. 

Add coco powder (I use Hershey's brand), baking soda, salt , Mix well at high speed for 1-2  minutes until everything becomes a dough.

Then add 3/4 cup M&M chocolates, chocolate chips(Hershey's or Ghirardelli brand) and mix them for 30 seconds (or just mix with hands). 

Take out this dough and wrap using a plastic wrap. Keep in fridge (upto 30 minutes or until needed). 

Baking:

Preheat the oven to 350°F .

Before baking take the dough out and keep in room temperature for 10 minutes.

Take out small balls using a cookie scoop or hands.

Roll to balls. Flatten a little and place in baking sheets.

Bake for 8-10 minutes. 

Take out carefully using a spatula and let them cool over wire racks. 

Decorate:

If desired press some M&M on freshly baked cookies (instead of adding to dough) while they are still soft or just before baking. 

Double chocolate m&m cookies is ready !

FYI:

This cookie dough should be kept in fridge for atleast 1-2 hours before baking. Dough stays safe in fridge up to a week or in freezer for longer time (say a month or more). 

This cookie dough should be rolled to small balls and flattened a bit while arranging on baking tray. Don't try scoop and drop style.

Serving suggestion:

Serve as dessert or snack.

These cookies tastes extremely delicious and intoxicating, so consume in moderation 😀

Happy Cooking !

Apple Pie.

This is an all time favorite dessert in my house. Don't Panic to make a pie on your own. I am narrating below a 100% fool proof recipe. But follow all the steps to get a perfect apple pie.

To make Crust:
2 1/2 cups All purpose flour.
2 tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup cold butter, broken into small pieces
5 tbsp. cold vegetable shortening
8 tbsp. ice water
Mix the flour, sugar and salt together.
Add the chilled butter pieces and shortening to the bowl. Mix them coarsely.
Add the ice water. Mix until the dough holds together .(Like pizza crust dough or Indian chapathi dough)
Then divide the dough in to two equal portions.
Flatten each half into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap (clear wrap) and chill for at least half an hour.
Roll out one of the disks on a lightly floured surface until you have a circle that's about 12 inches in diameter.
Put the circle in a 9" pie plate, trim extra dough from the edges . Return it to the refrigerator until you are ready to make the pie.

Next step:
Add filling (see below)
Roll out the second ball of dough and cover top. Use a fork to pinch the edges together. cut a couple slits in the top.

To make Filling:
1/3 to 2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
8 medium sized apples (a medium apple = about 1 cup)
2 tablespoons butter.

Heat oven to 425 degrees.
Remove skin and seeds of the apple and slice it in to small pieces.
Mix sugar, flour,cinnamon, and salt in large bowl.
Stir in apples.
Pour into the already prepared pastry-lined pie plate.
Cover with top crust and seal the edges. Cut slits in the top.
Cover edge with a strip of aluminum foil to prevent too much browning.
Remove foil during last 15 minutes of baking.
Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until crust is brown and juice begins to bubble through slits in crust.


Serving suggestions:
Makes a wonderful snack or dessert.Some times the left overs can be used as a good breakfast too.

Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:
granulated sugar - 1 cup
unsalted butter - 1 cup
milk -3 tablespoon
vanilla essence -1teaspoon
egg-1
all purpose flour-3 cup
baking powder-1 1/2 teaspoon
salt 1/2 teaspoon
sugar a little to sprinkle.


Method:
Beat the egg , milk, and vanilla essence .
In a large bowl, combine sugar, butter with the beaten egg mixture.Blend well.
Add flour, baking powder and salt to the mixture and make it into a dough.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 1 hour for easier handling.
Preheat oven to 400 F .
Make small balls and flaten them on silverfoil or ungreased cookie sheet over the oven tray.
( place each cookie 1 inch apart)
sprinkle sugar over the cookies before baking.
Bake at 400 F for 5-9 minutes or until edges are light golden brown.
Immediately remove from cookie sheets and decorate as desired.
Makes 6 dozen cookies.

Oats and Raisin cookies. (eggless version)

Everybody knows oats is good for health. So here is a cookie with oats. we can replace an unhealthy snack with this flavorful Oats and Raisin cookies.

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup uncooked oats.
3/4 cup All purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar .
1/4 cup raisins.
1/2 stick butter (1/3 cup softened )
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
1/2 tsp baking soda.
1/2 tsp cream of tartar or 1/2 tsp white vinegar / lime juice.
1/4 tsp salt

Method:

Preheat oven to 375 deg F.
Gather everything in a big mixing bowl by hand. Keep it inside refrigerator for easy handling.
After 10 minutes spread an aluminium foil over a baking tray.
Roll the dough into small balls (size of a big gooseberry) and flatten them on the tray by using the bottom of a glass tumbler .
Place all cookies 1.5 inch apart , because the tiny cookies will swell and become big cookies , occupying more diameter.
Bake 9 minutes in 375 deg.
Take out and let it rest , so that it becomes stiff.(take the cookies out ,once the bottom seems mild brown in color. At this
stage the cookies will be soft , but after a few minutes outside they turn stiff.)
This cookies will be more soft and a bit chewy.
variation:
If you want to get more stiffened cookies add 1 egg instead of cream of tartar.

Serving suggestion:
makes 25 cookies.