Cookies for Persuasion

You should know something about me. There is nothing scientific about me at all (sorry Brakers). I like creativity, and I hate absolutes. Most of the people I talk to about baking say that it is a science. Oh my goodness, make me cringe with despair. How can my thing (we'll fudge that a little) be scientific? Well, when I do it, it's not. It's much more about texture and taste and feeling. I mean, I will follow a recipe, but why is 3 3/4 cups of flour better than 3 3/4 cups and 2 tablespoons of flour? I mean seriously. What's the difference. And how did it get to be 3 3/4? Someone had to arbitrarily figure it out eventually. There was a lot of tasting and seeing and feeling to figure it out - I'm guessing. So while I will also give you the original recipe, know that I fudge things here and there almost all of the time.

Moving on to Cookies for Persuasion. I thought I should start my blogging with a fool proof recipe. These are seriously the best cookies that I have ever made. And I make them a lot. I told you earlier that I am a teacher. Well, I use these as persuasion for behavior and test scores, and it's worked pretty well. In our high school, we have teams for sophomores and freshman to help support them more. I made these cookies for our entire team as motivation for doing well on finals. Now they are legendary around the school. So if you want to double, triple, or quadruple this recipe, it's possible. There are a few tricks, but it works great. I currently made these cookies for Mike to take to the law office to that he can make friends with the partners at the firm. Not even joking. Right now he's planning on putting up a sign that says "If you want cookies, come talk to the IP Interns". I'll have to let you know if it works out for him.

Without further ado, here it the recipe. I orginally got it from Paula Dean - I love how that woman is not afraid of butter. I made a few ajustments, but only because I am that lazy. You'll see.

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1/2 cup vegetable shortening (I use the sticks of butter crisco)
3/4 cup of sugar
1 3/4 cup of brown sugar
3 lg eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 3/4 flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 package of semisweet chocolate morsels
1 cup milk chocolate morsels (I use a whole package)
3 squares bittersweet chocolate, chopped (which I don't use because I don't want to chop)
1 cup almond brickle chipes (I use the heath toffee chips covered in chocolate)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease baking sheets

Mix together the butter and shortening until creamy. I ALWAYS use salted butter when baking. I know almost everyone does otherwise, but I like it that way and so far everyone else has who has tried these cookies (or anything else I've shared with people). Gradually add sugars until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla. I always add more vanilla. I guestimate it. There can never be enough vanilla. Make sure that you beat this until really creamy. I'm not sure, but I think that it really helps with how these cookies melt in your mouth when baked.

Here's another shorcut I take. I don't mix together the dry ingredients before I add them to the wet. I just sprinkle around the salt and baking soda, mix it, and then add the flour bit by bit so that it doesn't spray everywhere (sometimes that still happens). Stir in all the chips.

Here's a big secret (I at least thought this was revolutionary when I heard of it). Use an ice cream scoop to drop the dough onto the baking sheet. It makes all the cookies even and then they bake down beautifully. Doesn't that look nice?

You should bake these between 11-12 minutes, but we all know that depends on your oven. It changes for each oven I bake these in. Sometimes it is it is 9 1/2 minutes and sometimes it is 13. Just depends. Let them cool for a few minutes before taking them off the baking sheet. I don't like to use racks because it always makes everything I make fall apart. I use parchment or wax paper on the counter or table and let them cool there completely.

And that's it. Persuade away.