Don't know what it is, but baking cookies reminds me of childhood summers spent at gram and pap's house in Pennsylvania. My gram is one of those cook-from-scratch people and half the reason I turned into the cook I am today. The other half I owe to my mother. Surprise, surprise.
When you are young, life is simple. Summers are simple. You wake up, get dressed, and get outside to play with your friends as early as you can. Tromping through wooded back yards. Running through the sprinklers in the driveway. Playing capture the flag with no mind as to which neighborhood yard you claimed as your territory. Riding bikes down to the Tastee Freeze after dinner for a hand dipped cone.
This was how my childhood summers were spent. Our biggest concern was how late we thought we could convince the adults to let us stay out so that we could catch lightning bugs and make glow-in-the-dark warrior paint for our after dark games of hide and seek.
For lunch, a bunch of us would gather on the back porch and gram would bring out a platter of homemade deli sandwiches and lemonade or chocolate milk. We'd eat and sit for awhile, playing bingo or planning our next adventure. If we were lucky, she would reappear with a plate of warm cookies that she just happened to whip together. Man were we spoiled.
Oftentimes we would help with the cookie making. My memories of this are vivid. No recipe, no box. Just flour, sugar, egg, and butter. A dash of salt, a splash of vanilla, and a bit of baking soda. And the chocolate - don't forget the chocolate.
This recipe, although not THE recipe, plays tribute to fond memories of summer's passed. I hope you rekindle some of your own memories as you lick the beaters - and the bowl.
makes 12-16 cookies
3 cups whole wheat flour
1.5 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1.5 tsp celtic sea salt
1 cup cold, un-salted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 cups coconut [palm] sugar or 1 cup sugar and 1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp real vanilla extract
8 oz dark chocolate, finely chopped
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare 2 baking sheets by covering them with a sheet of parchment paper.
Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl and set aside.
In another large bowl, beat the sugar and butter with a hand mixer until well blended. Use a spatula to scrape down anything left on the side of the bowl.
Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing on low until completely incorporated. Repeat with the vanilla.
Add the flour mixture, 1 cup at a time, incorporating each cup before adding the next. You may need to increase the speed as the dough thickens. In between cups, use a spatula to scrape down the sides to ensure that all ingredients are incorporated.
Add the chocolate and mix until evenly distributed.
Scoop golf ball size mounds of dough onto the parchment paper, being careful to space them 2-3 inches apart. Six cookies should fit on one sheet.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until cookies give slightly when touched in the center. Careful not to overcook as they will continue to cook for a minute or so once removed from the oven.
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