It is my sons' first day at school today. Also his first day in the 1st grade and in a new school.. I felt the same tug at my heart this morning, leaving him in his new class, that I had felt the day I dropped him off at his Kindergarten class for the first time. According to my husband I am quite literally worse than my kids and have more separation-anxiety than they do.
Sigh. Where did my baby boy go?
That's him, hiding his face with his hand and probably thinking, 'Get a grip Mom'.
Okay, I admit - I'm having an emotionally-wrenching kind of day. But lets get over that already. Let me introduce to you my sons' favorite chocolate chip cookies. The ones he requested as an after-school snack today - with 'a glass of really, really cold milk'.
The recipe is very slightly adapted from Dorie Greenspans' 'Best Chocolate Chip Cookies' & is the first recipe of Dories' that I ever tried, a little over two years ago. Much before I owned her book and before starting to Bake With Dorie. I've made these cookies several ways, countless times. My most favorite way to make them is the 'cocoa chocolate' version with peppermint extract - it's like biting into an After Eight chocolate.
But I didn't make them that way today. I had started by wanting to - but when I was measuring out the dry ingredients, I 'forgot' to add cocoa powder and only realized my mistake when the cookie batter came together and it wasn't brown. Oops.
Too late to turn back, so I threw in M&Ms for fun instead of nuts. From the grin on my boys' face, I can tell they're yummy.
M&M and Chocolate Chip Cookies
slightly adapted from Dorie Greenspans' Best Chocolate Chip Cookies, found on Page 68 of Baking: From My Home To Yours
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
2 sticks butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp peppermint extract
2 large eggs
12 ounces or 2C chocolate chips
1 cup finely M & Ms
Center a rack in the oven and preheat oven to 375F. Line two baking sheets with parchment.
Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.
In a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed for 1 minute. Add the sugars and beat for 2 more minutes. Beat in the vanilla and then add the eggs, one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Reduce the speed and add in the dry ingredients in 3 portions, mixing only until each addition is incorporated. Mix in the chocolate chips and M&Ms.
Scoop tablespoons of dough onto the baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each spoonful (these cookies spread a lot).
Bake for 10 - 12 minutes (rotating the sheet at the midway point) or until they are brown on the edges and golden in the middle. Remove from oven, allow to cool on sheets for 1 minute before removing to wire rack to cool.
