Small Batch Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

There is one very ripe lonely banana sitting on the counter. I refuse to throw it away, let’s transform it into something sweet!

4 Tbl butter, melted and cooled

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 very ripe banana, mashed

1 cup flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup chocolate chips, I used mini and reg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line or spray 5 or 6 muffin cups, depending if you want 5 smaller muffins or 6 larger muffins (I made 5).

Stir together melted butter, egg and vanilla. Add sugar, brown sugar, and mashed banana, stir until well combined. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon, stir just until dry ingredients are incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips. Scoop into prepared muffin cups. Put a few chocolate chips on top to make your muffins bake shop pretty if desired.

Bake 20-22 minutes, until center of muffins are set. Enjoy your treat!

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Rocky Mountain Cookies

Quarantine is a little happier with cookies. If you are quarantined alone with that batch of cookies, you may want to get on the elliptical a couple more times (speaking from experience).

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
2 cups oats
2 cups Rice Krispies cereal
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°. In large bowl of mixer, cream butter, sugar, and brown sugar. Add eggs and vanilla, whip until incorporated and creamy. In another bowl, stir together flour, oats, Rice Krispies, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and chocolate chips. Add dry ingredients to mixer with creamed mixture, mix just until all ingredients are incorporated. Drop scoopfuls of batter onto baking sheets. Bake for 9-10 minutes, careful not to over bake.

Super Moist Chocolate Chip Muffins

Looking for a chocolate snack? These chocolate muffins are so good, and because applesauce is the secret to making them moist, we can call them healthy! Well, while we are in quarantine everything seems skewed a bit, so healthy becomes relative. Recipe from ChefAlli.com

2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided use
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp vanila
1 egg
1 cup applesauce
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup oil

Preheat oven to 350°.  Grease 12 muffin cups or line muffins cups with paper muffin liners. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, sugar, brown sugar, 3/4 cup chocolate chips, and cocoa powder. In a separate bowl, whisk together the vanilla, egg, applesauce, milk, and vegetable oil until smooth; pour into flour mixture and stir until the mixture is just combined. Don’t over mix!

Divide the prepared batter between the 12 prepared muffin cups, filling each one about 2/3 full. Divide the remaining ¼ cup of chocolate chips between muffins, sprinkling them over the top of each one. Bake muffins, uncovered, on center rack, in preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 20-25 minutes. s soon as the muffins are removed from the oven, gently place a sheet of foil on top. Let the muffins cool covered, then remove them from the muffin tin. Store in an air tight container.

More Snacking Muffins!

 

King Arthur Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies

I made a quick detour in my baking the kingarthurflour.com Best Basic Recipes yesterday. A revisit to one of the most visited recipes on my site, One Hour Bread. So, back to the 16 Best Basic Recipes, this is #8, Chocolate Chip Cookies. Most of us have our favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe, I have mine, it’s in my head and I can make it in my sleep. But, it’s good to stay open-minded and try new things, so here goes…

This is a delicious recipe, a little bit of crisp on the outside and tender inside, and I do like the hint of almond. It’s good to try new things, YUM!

2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
8 Tbl butter
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
1 tsp vinegar
1 tsp baking soda
1 large egg
2 cups flour
2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets. In a large bowl, combine the sugars, butter, shortening, salt, vanilla and almond extracts, vinegar, and baking soda, beating until smooth and creamy. Beat in the egg, again beating until smooth. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a spatula to make sure everything is thoroughly combined. Mix in the flour, then the chips.

Use a spoon (or a tablespoon cookie scoop) to scoop 1 1/4″ balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving 2″ between them on all sides; they’ll spread. Bake the cookies for 11 to 12 minutes, until their edges are chestnut brown and their tops are light golden brown, almost blonde. Ovens differ so watch, I baked mine for about 9½ minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven, and cool on the pan until they’ve set enough to move without breaking. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Fudge Brownies

Recipe #6 on the kingarthurflour.com Best Basic Recipes is Fudge Brownies. Now I already have my favorite brownie recipe that I have made a billion times (maybe exaggeration). So, I thought, ok I will make these but no brownies will make me change my favorite brownie recipe. The verdict is, I think this recipe ties with my recipe, I was happily and deliciously surprised!

4 large eggs
1¼ cups unsweetened dark cocoa
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp espresso powder, optional
1 Tbl vanilla
1 cup butter, melted
2¼ cups sugar
1½ cups flour
2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9″ x 13″ pan. Crack the 4 eggs into a bowl, and beat them at medium speed with the cocoa, salt, baking powder, espresso powder (if using), and vanilla for about 1 minute, or until smooth. You can do this while you’re melting your butter (next step).

In a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl, or in a saucepan set over low heat, melt the butter, then add the sugar and stir to combine. Or simply combine the butter and sugar, and heat, stirring, until the butter is melted. Continue to heat (or microwave) briefly, just until the mixture is hot (about 110°F to 120°F), but not bubbling; it’ll become shiny looking as you stir it. Heating the mixture to this point will dissolve more of the sugar, which will help produce a shiny top crust on your brownies.

Add the hot butter/sugar mixture to the egg/cocoa mixture, stirring until smooth. Add the flour and chips, stirring until smooth. Again, adding the chips helps produce a shiny top crust. Spoon the batter into a lightly greased 9″ x 13″ pan. Bake the brownies for 28 to 32 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, or with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it. The brownies should feel set on the edges, and the center should look very moist, but not uncooked. Remove them from the oven and cool on a rack before cutting and serving.

 

Scones

Recipe #3 of kingarthurflour.com Best Basic Recipe Collection is SCONES! I will eat any scone from plain to savory to sweet (sweet will always be the favorite, of course). The secret with scone dough is to handle it as little as possible to keep those littles bits of butter nice and cold until they hit the oven. This is a basic recipe and you can choose your mix-ins and flavoring, this time I used 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips and vanilla. Next time I might use raisins, pecans, and maple, oh, that sounds amazing!

Dough
2¾ cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1 Tbl baking powder
1/2 cup cold butter
1-2 cups chopped dried fruit, chocolate or other flavor chips, nuts, or combination
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla or flavoring of choice
1/2 – 2/3 cup half-and-half or milk

Topping
2 tsp milk or half-and-half
2 Tbl sparkling sugar or cinnamon-sugar, optional

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Cut in butter just until mixture is unevenly crumbly; it’s OK for some larger chunks of butter to remain unincorporated. Stir in the fruit, chips, and/or nuts, if you’re using them. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, vanilla or other flavor, and half-and-half or milk. Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients and stir just until all is moistened and holds together.

Line a baking sheet with parchment or silpat; if you don’t have either, just use pan without greasing it. Sprinkle a bit of flour atop the parchment or pan. Put dough onto floured parchment or pan, and divide it in half. Round each half into a 5″ circle. Brush each circle with milk, and sprinkle with coarse sparkling sugar or cinnamon-sugar, if desired. Using a knife or bench knife that you’ve run under cold water, slice each circle into 6 wedges. Carefully pull wedges away from center to separate them just a bit; there should be about 1/2″ space between them, at their outer edges.

For best texture and highest rise, place pan of scones in freezer for 30 minutes, uncovered. Chilling scones relaxes the gluten in the flour, which makes scones more tender and allows them to rise higher. It also chills fat, which will make scones a bit flakier. While scones are chilling, preheat oven to 425°F with a rack in the upper third.

Bake scones in upper part of your oven for 18 to 23 minutes, or until they’re a light golden brown. Remove scones from oven, and cool briefly on pan. Serve warm. They’re delicious as is, but add butter and/or jam, if you like.

When scones are completely cool, wrap them in plastic and store at room temperature for up to several days. To reheat room-temperature scones, place on a baking sheet, tent lightly with foil, and warm in a preheated 350°F oven for about 10 minutes.

Single Layer Chocolate Cake

This is recipe #2 of kingarthurflour.com Best Basic Recipe Collection. So easy to stir it together, bake, frost and serve right from the pan. Simple, simple! The one thing I would change next time I make this, is to make half the amount of icing. As you can tell from the photo there is plenty of frosting!

Cake
1½ cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/4 unsweetened cocoa
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp espresso powder, optional
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbl vinegar
1/3 cup oil
1 cup cold water

Icing
1½ cups semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup half-and-half

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8″ square or 9″ round pan that’s at least 2″ deep. Whisk the dry ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl. Whisk the vanilla, vinegar, vegetable oil, and water in a separate bowl. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients, stirring until thoroughly combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake the cake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs clinging to it.

Serve the cake right from the pan; warm from the oven, it’s wonderful with a big glass of milk. Or, once cool, frost the cake with this simple chocolate frosting: Heat the chocolate chips with the half-and-half until the chips melt. Stir until smooth, and pour/spread over the cake. For a non-dairy icing, substitute 1/3 cup cold brewed coffee (or water) for the half-and-half.

My Favorite Brownies

If I had to name my favorite chocolate dessert, the words that would come racing out of my mouth would be Triple Chocolate Fudge Brownies. I usually make them only when I am giving them away, otherwise I am in big trouble! I Love Love Love Brownies!

1 cup butter, melted
3 cups sugar
1 Tbl vanilla
4 eggs
1½ cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup unsweetened dark cocoa
1 tsp salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 13″x9″ baking pan with foil and spray foil with non-stick spray. In large bowl, stirring by hand, mix melted butter, sugar, and vanilla. Beat in eggs one at a time. In another bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, dark cocoa, and salt. Stir dry ingredients into butter mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Spread in prepared pan. Bake 40-45 minutes (ovens vary but I alway bake them 45 min), until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely for easiest and cleanest cutting. Oh, and use these brownies for a brownie sundae…amazing!

Peanut Butter Oatmeal M&M Cookies

One of my all time favorite cookies. Make a double batch and wrap some up to give to somebunny. ;o)

3/4 cup oats
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips
M&Ms

Preheat oven to 350°. Stir together oats, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, cream butter, peanut butter, sugar, and brown sugar with electric mixer. Add egg and vanilla, mix thoroughly. Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture, and mix just until combined. Stir in chocolate chips and about 1/2 cup M&Ms (save some for top of cookies). Drop large scoop of batter onto cookie sheet and press a couple M&Ms into each cookie mound. Bake for 9-10 minutes, do not overbake.

Creamy Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

A little twist for your chocolate chip cookie craving.

Chocolate Chip Dough:
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla
2¼ cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1½ cups chocolate chips

Cream Cheese Coconut Center:
1 (8oz) pkg cream cheese, room temp
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup coconut

Preheat oven to 350°. Make chocolate chip cookie dough; with electric mixer cream butter, sugar, and brown sugar. Mix in egg and vanilla. Add flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix in chocolate chips. Make cream cheese coconut center; with electric mixer, mix cream cheese and sugar. Mix in egg. Stir in coconut. In a 9×13 pan, press 1/2 the chocolate chip cookie dough evenly in bottom. Spread cream cheese coconut mixture evenly over cookie dough. Pinch and sprinkle small pieces of remaining cookie dough evenly over cream cheese layer, gently spreading with finger tips to make top layer. Bake for 35-40 minutes (cover with tent of foil last 10 minutes if getting too brown). Cool then refrigerate until cold and set. Cut into bars.