One Cookie Recipe, 6 Ways
Your recipe box just got a whole lot bigger. Well, maybe not technically. But theoretically? Ah yes. It is very much expanded. Because I'm going to show you how to take any single (basic) cookie recipe and bake it in 6 completely different ways.
That's right. You can use a single cookie recipe, like these no-butter chocolate chip cookies, and bake it not one, not two, not three, not four, not five, but six different ways! And if you want, you can pretend you made six completely different desserts. When you really only made one. People will be SO impressed. And maybe just a little bit suspicious.
If you plan on hosting a holiday party party this year, it could be the perfect occasion to show-off the new tricks you're about to learn. Present 6 different desserts at the end of the meal. Or at least that's what your guests will think you're doing. But really, you'll only need to make one cookie recipe. And follow the simple steps shown below to shape and form the dough in six varying ways. And voila - 6 different desserts!
The tricks you're about to learn can really come in handy right about now during this holiday gift-giving season. Give the gift of cookies. 6 types. You're gonna get so many new friends. So just be prepared.
I used my recipe for The Best No-Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies in the photos you see here. Other great options for making one recipe in several differing ways would be The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever, Salt and Pepper Cookies, or most oatmeal cookies or double chocolate cookies.
Basically, you're going to need to use an unfussy cookie recipe that has a solid structure and holds its shape and form well and doesn't spread too much. An example of a cookie recipe I would not recommend would be these Cinnamon Roll Cookies. Because they're not basic cookies and can't be manipulated into any form other than the one that they originated in.
So, what actually are the six different ways? Here they are folks:
1. mini cookies
Serving Suggestion: eat plain, use as a garnish for a cake or a dessert plate, serve several cookies alone with a scoop of your favorite ice cream, or OMG MAKE MINI ICE CREAM SANDWICHES!!!
2. REGULAR COOKIES
Serving Suggestion: they're regular cookies. You know what to do. Eat them. ALL.
3. jumbo cookies
Serving Suggestion: place a scoop of ice cream on top of the center of the cookie and drizzle chocolate syrup over the whole thing. Serve.
4. cookie cups
Serving Suggestion: stuff into face while still hot and gooey. But since cookie cups are so thick, they're gooey even when not hot. These cookie cups are the gooiest option of the six here. So they might just be my favorite.
5. cookie bars
Serving Suggestion: cut regular sized bars to be eaten plain, or cut large squares to serve as you would the jumbo cookies - with ice cream on top and chocolate syrup drizzled over everything.
6. cookie pie/skillet
Serving Suggestion: cut as you would a pie and serve with ice cream on the side. Or, place a giant scoop of ice cream in the center of the whole skillet, provide spoons to all parties involved (or just to yourself if you don't have friends or are not in the mood of sharing), and dig right in while it's still in the pan.
one cookie recipe, 6 ways
NOTE: You can use almost any basic cookie recipe and bake it in 6 different ways following the instructions written below. However, below is the recipe I used to make the chocolate chip cookies you see depicted in the pictures above. Another great cookie option would be The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever.
Cookie Recipe Adapted from Averiecooks
3/4 cup coconut oil,* melted (measure it melted, it's a bit less than a cup in solid form)
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
10 oz. chocolate, chopped
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Melt the coconut oil. *Use refined coconut oil if you don't want the coconut flavor in your cookies, and unrefined coconut oil if you want a rich coconut taste.
Let the oil cool slightly. Add to a large bowl with both the sugars. Stir.
Add in the egg and vanilla and mix well.
Mix the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt and add into bowl. Mix till JUST combined. Stir in the chocolate.
1. Mini Cookies: Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Round very small balls of dough (about a teaspoon each) between your palms and place them on the baking sheet. DO NOT FLATTEN. Bake 6-8 minutes. The edges should just barely be golden. The cookies may not look ready, but will continue to bake on the sheets after they're removed from the oven. Let cookies rest on sheet for a few minutes to firm up and set.
2. Regular Cookies: Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Round large balls of dough between your palms and place them on the baking sheet. DO NOT FLATTEN. Bake 9-10 minutes. The edges should just barely be golden. The cookies may not look ready, but will continue to bake on the sheets after they're removed from the oven. If you like crispier cookies, bake 2 minutes longer. Let cookies rest on sheet for a few minutes to firm up and set.
3. Jumbo Cookies: Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Round very large balls of dough between your palms and place them on the baking sheet. FLATTEN SLIGHTLY. Bake 12-13 minutes. The edges should just barely be golden. The cookies may not look ready, but will continue to bake on the sheets after they're removed from the oven. If you like crispier cookies, bake 2 minutes longer. Let cookies rest on sheet for a few minutes to firm up and set.
4. Cookie Cups: Spray about 16 muffin molds well. (You can also use a mini muffin tin, which will yield almost triple the amount of cookie cups.) Round large balls of dough between your palms and place into muffin molds. Flatten/press down the dough to fit the molds. Bake for 9-11 minutes, or until slightly golden and a toothpick inserted is mostly clean. Let cookie cups cool and firm up in molds for about 10 minutes before releasing them from the molds.
5. Cookie Bars: Line a 9x13 or two 8x8 square baking pans with parchment paper. Press dough down into pan evenly. Sprinkle extra chopped chocolate on top if desired. Bake 20-24 minutes, or until lightly golden and a toothpick inserted comes out mostly clean. Let cool for at least 20 minutes before cutting into bars or squares.
6. Cookie Pie/Skillet: Spray two large oven proof skillets or two 8-9 inch round pans. Wrap foil around handle of skillet so it doesn't get too hot. Press dough down into skillet or pan evenly. Sprinkle extra chopped chocolate on top if desired. Bake 16-24 minutes (depending on how thinly or thickly dough was spread into pans), or until lightly golden and a toothpick inserted comes out mostly clean. Let cool for at least 20 minutes before cutting triangle slices like a pie.
On a completely unrelated note, right???
photo from memes dot com
