These Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies take all the hard work out of rolling, cutting and icing cookies but still yield perfect cookies every time!

I love sugar cookies – they’re easily one of my FAVORITE cookie flavors. And I love frosted sugar cookies, but I honestly loathe rolling out, cutting out, and icing all those cookies. It is so time consuming!

I wanted to make a sugar cookie recipe that was essentially a drop cookie (similar to a chocolate chip style cookie – aka, no rolling needed!) that had all that sugar cookie goodness in it without the hassle of rolling, cutting and icing.

Enter: these babies. They’re SO perfect!

Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies

These cookies have a bunch of very simple pantry ingredients in them that when combined, yield the most delectable sugar cookies ever. Those ingredients include:

• Butter: for this recipe, we’re using unsalted butter so we can control the salt in the dry ingredients. Make sure your butter is room temperature!
• Sugar: granulated sugar, to be precise
• Egg and egg yolk: make for an extra chewy and tender cookie
• Baking soda and powder: both baking soda and baking powder help make these cookies extra soft
• Salt: for flavor and balance
• Vanilla extract: for flavor
• All-purpose flour: the binder of everything. Make sure to spoon and level your flour for the most accurate measurements.

You’ll simply mix together these ingredients to create your cookie dough, drop them onto parchment lined baking sheets with cookie dough scoops and bake! I really recommend rolling the cookie dough balls into some granulated sugar or sugar crystal sprinkles before baking for a little sparkle and crunch.

Cookie FAQ’s

Do these cookies need to chill before baking? No, these cookies can be baked straight away after the dough has been made. However, if you want to make the dough ahead, you can chill it with plastic wrap covering the dough for up to 48 hours ahead of time. This will definitely enhance and deepen the flavors.

Can I use a hand mixer instead of a stand mixer? Yes, a hand mixer can be used in place of a stand mixer!

What kind of baking sheet is recommended for these cookies? I always recommend people use light metal baking pans for baking, as they conduct heat the best out of glass, dark metal and ceramic.

Can this recipe be used for cut-out cookies? No, this is a drop cookie recipe. For a cut-out recipe, try my Best No-Chill Cut-Out Sugar Cookies.

How can I customize these? Roll them in colorful sprinkles before baking, or customize the flavors by trying different extracts, like almond, cake batter extract (yes, it’s a thing now!), or a citrus extract. You can also use citrus zest, or mix in add-ins like chopped nuts or fruit, or chocolate chips.

These cookies are so tender, light, soft and chewy – you’re going to want to save this Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookie recipe!

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Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies

These Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies are buttery, tender, and SO delicious - an easy drop cookie with all the flavors of sugar cookies without the hassle!

Course Cookies, Dessert

Cuisine American, Dessert

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes minutes

Total Time 32 minutes minutes

Servings 24 cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1½ cups granulated sugar, divided
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2½ cups all-purpose flour

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350℉. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and 1¼ cups of the granulated sugar together until creamy and pale yellow, about 2 minutes. Add in the egg, followed by the yolk, mixing well after each addition, and lastly adding in the vanilla extract to combine. Add in the baking soda, baking powder, salt, and flour, and mix on low speed until just combined.
• Place the remaining ¼ sugar in a small bowl. Using a Tablespoon-size or 1.5 Tablespoon-size cookie dough scoop, portion out balls of dough and roll them into the bowl of granulated sugar. Place 2" apart on the baking sheets.
• Bake for 10-12 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking time to ensure even cooking. Cool on the baking sheets for about 5-10 minutes before transferring cookies carefully to wire racks to finish cooling. Cookies will be delicate while they're hot but will continue to set up once cooled.

These will soon become my family’s FAVORITE when I share with them this Christmas, and I know your family will love them, too!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

The post Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.

These Brown Butter Snickerdoodles are crisp, soft, chewy and SO delicious with the extra special addition of brown butter. You do not want to sleep on this recipe!

Even though it’s fall (despite the weather being non-cooperative), I am trying to think outside of the typical pumpkin vs apple recipe box and give you guys other cozy and warm fall flavors. I feel like every year, the internet is dominated with pumpkin and apple recipes, and it seems like it is all the same stuff we’ve seen before.

And while yeah, I will happily engorge myself on apple pie bars and pumpkin bread, I kinda want something different? So if there’s a blatant lack of pumpkin and apple recipes this fall, it’s because I kind of want to bring some other special warm and cozy flavors to the mix.

I gotta say, these Brown Butter Snickerdoodles may usurp pumpkin and apple for the fall title.

How to Make Brown Butter Snickerdoodles

These Brown Butter Snickerdoodles are very easy to make and are made extra special with the addition of brown butter. What is brown butter, you may ask? It happens when you melt butter past the melting point and it begins to brown and caramelize. Little bits of fat in the bottom of the pan will toast and brown, creating this addictive nutty, toasted goodness that adds tremendous depth of flavor to your baked goods.

Because this recipe has melted browned butter in it, these snickerdoodles are a little more on the crisp and chewy side than a soft, pillowy snickerdoodle that we’re used to. But the compromise is worth it for that richness the brown butter imparts!

You’ll combine brown butter with some softened butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar in a stand mixer, then add in an egg and egg yolk. Stir in some vanilla extract, followed by your dry ingredients, which are baking soda, salt, cream of tarter, and flour.

Once the dough has come together, you’ll roll the dough into Tablespoon-size balls and dredge it in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar. Place the dough balls 2″ apart on prepared baking sheets and bake until set and golden.

How to Make Brown Butter

Brown butter is easy to make, but it happens quickly, so don’t plan on stepping too far from the pan.

In a saucepan, add your stick of butter over medium-low heat. Cook until it has melted. Now is the crucial time you don’t want to step away, because once it burns, it’s useless. The melted butter will soon begin to pop, fizzle and bubble violently; this is normal. Gently swirl the pan to prevent scorching. After about 5 or so minutes, you’ll begin to notice some foam, and beyond the foam you’ll notice some bits on the bottom of the pan begin to brown. Swirl the pan to discourage burning. When the butter is amber in color and smells nutty, remove from heat. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the pan to get all those browned bits!

These Brown Butter Snickerdoodles are light, crispy, chewy and have soft middles with a lovely rich flavor! You’re going to swoon over them!

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Brown Butter Snickerdoodles

These Brown Butter Snickerdoodles are light, crispy and chewy with soft centers and the most incredible brown butter and vanilla base! You're going to LOVE this irresistible cookie!

Course Cookies

Cuisine American, Dessert

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes minutes

Total Time 32 minutes minutes

Servings 24 cookies

Ingredients

• 12 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened to room temperature and divided
• 1¼ cups granulated white sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp cream of tarter
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup granulated white sugar
• 3 tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350℉.
• First, prepare your brown butter: In a small saucepan, add in 8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter over medium-low heat and allow the butter to melt. Once it has melted, do not stray far from the stove as the browning process happens quickly! The melted butter will bubble, pop and sizzle violently; this is normal. After about 5 or so minutes, it may become foamy. Swirl the pan occasionally to discourage burning. You'll begin to notice some browned bits on the bottom of the pan; continue swirling the pan and remove from the heat when the butter is amber in color and smells nutty.
• Pour the brown butter into the bowl of a stand mixer with the remaining 4 Tbsp softened butter. Allow to sit for 5 minutes to help further soften the remaining butter. Then, add in the sugars and beat with the paddle attachment until combined, about 1 minute. Add in the egg, followed by the egg yolk, mixing well, followed by the vanilla. Lastly, add in your baking soda, cream of tarter, salt, and flour and mix until just combined; set aside. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the remaining granulated sugar and cinnamon.
• Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a Tablespoon-size cookie dough scoop, portion out dough balls one at a time. Drop a rounded dough ball into the cinnamon sugar mixture and toss gently to coat. Place the dough balls 2" apart on the baking sheets.
• Bake for 10-12 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking time to ensure even baking. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before carefully transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Cookies may appear puffy and deflate; this is normal as they are a crisper cookie than a traditional puffy one. If you have any leftover cinnamon sugar, sprinkle it over the still-warm cookies.

These snickerdoodles may or may not be life-changing… but I’ll let you be the judge

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

The post Brown Butter Snickerdoodles first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.

These Monster Cookie Carmelitas are oatmeal cookie bars fully loaded with a peanut butter caramel, chocolate chips and miniature M&M’s for a fun twist on two classics: carmelitas and monster cookies!

I cannot believe September is this week! Although it will mean nothing in the grand scheme of, well, anything. Least of all weather-wise.

At least we’re one step closer to Christmas. Yeah, I dropped the holly jolly C-word. And I won’t apologize for it.

In the meantime, I’m cooking up all sorts of cozy recipes for fall or the prequel to fall, and those include these bad boys. Let’s just say they are one of my better harebrained ideas.

Monster Cookie Carmelitas

First, let’s break down what the heck a monster cookie carmelita is, anyway. Actually, it’s two different desserts mashed into one concept: carmelitas, which are caramel and chocolate-filled oatmeal cookie bars, and monster cookies, which are oatmeal-based cookies loaded with chocolate, peanut butter and M&M’s. Since they have similarities between them (chocolate, oats), and caramel and peanut butter go well together, I figured this would be a culinary match made in heaven.

And I was right!

The base is essentially an oatmeal cookie that we’ll bake in a square pan. You’ll throw down your first layer using half of the dough, and bake it for a little bit to set. Then you’ll add your caramel layer, which consists of caramel squares melted with a little heavy cream and with some creamy peanut butter stirred in.

Once your caramel layer is on, you’ll sprinkle on your chocolate chips and miniature M&M’s, followed by the remaining bits of cookie dough.

Bake it up, and you have these gloriously gooey bars!

Success Tips for Monster Cookie Carmelitas

• When working with caramel, things are bound to get sticky. I recommend lining your baking pan with foil or parchment and greasing the foil or parchment paper with nonstick spray to be extra cautious.
• These bars cut best when they have properly cooled and had time to sit at room temperature. I would not attempt to cut them when they are still warm, as the caramel layer is heavy and they are still kind of fragile and gooey when room temperature. You can always briefly refrigerate before cutting, but I recommend serving anything with caramel at room temperature so as not to crack a tooth.
• Bars can be kept for up to 5 days at room temperature, if stored airtight.

These bars are hearty, chocolaty, absolutely bursting with gooey goodness from the buttery caramel and peanut butter filling and are such a fun twist between two classic desserts. Now, who wants some of these Monster Cookie Carmelitas?

These are so unbelievably gooey and delicious.. I know you’re going to go nuts for them!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

The post Monster Cookie Carmelitas first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.

These White Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Cookies will soon become your new go-to autumn cookie recipe: they are soft, chewy, with crisp outer edges, the most INCREDIBLE pumpkin spice flavor and a sweetness from white chocolate! You’re going to love them!

Okay, so I know it’s still a million degrees outside, but we’re almost done with August, so I figured it was game on for the pumpkin recipes.

And I am ready for all things apple, maple and pumpkin. And cooler weather. And boots. And jackets. And generally not feeling like I am melting. That would be nice!

These cookies are the perfect way to usher in fall vibes because they technically don’t have pumpkin in them, but they have the essence of pumpkin, thanks to pumpkin pie spice and pumpkin spice extract which I’ll explain more about in a minute.

They’re cozy, warm, spicy, sweet – and so delicious! Wanna know more?

White Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Cookies

These cookies start with a brown butter cookie base (oh yeah, did I forget to mention they have brown butter, too?). You’ll simply brown most of your butter until it is toasty, nutty and fragrant and add it to a bowl with your brown and white sugars. Then you’ll mix in your egg, egg yolk, and extracts. For this recipe, we’re using a small bit of vanilla extract, but the star is the pumpkin spice extract.

What is pumpkin spice extract? It’s a newer extract flavoring available in most supermarkets by brands like McCormick that has the flavors of pumpkin spice. It’s just all-around delicious. I actually found mine at Michael’s by the LorAnn Oils brand. Sometimes it may be called an “emulsion” because it’s thicker than an extract. It’s a strong, concentrated flavor and tastes like pumpkin spice. I HIGHLY suggest you use it for the primary flavoring of these cookies!

The rest of the ingredients are pantry staples: flour, baking soda and powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice of course. For some texture and to balance all the spices, I added in some white chocolate chips for sweetness. It was a good decision on my part.

Cookie Tips and Tricks

Does this dough need to be chilled? No! You can actually bake this dough right away, or chill it up to an hour to better familiarize the flavors.

Can these cookies be frozen? Yes, cookies can be frozen for up to 6 months in a freezer-safe bag or container. Bring to room temperature to thaw. Likewise, you can freeze the dough balls and bake from frozen, tacking on a couple minute or two.

Where can I find pumpkin spice extract? Sometimes called extract or emulsion, depending on the brand, you can find it by McCormick brand at most grocery stores like Walmart and Safeway, or emulsions by LorAnn at Michael’s.

What if I can’t find pumpkin spice extract? If you can’t find the extract or emulsion, you can omit it completely and just add another teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice. However, I highly recommend you find it because it really enhances these cookies that the spices can’t do alone and gives it that signature pumpkin spice flavor.

These cookies are soft, chewy, with crisp outer edges and the most addictively nutty brown butter and pumpkin spice flavor paired with sweet, white chocolate chips. You’re going to flip for them just like I did!

I pretty much hoarded the entire batch of these cookies to myself because they were that good. I hope you love them as well!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

The post White Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Cookies first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.

These Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop Tart Bars are layers of shortbread cookie with an addictive and thick brown sugar cinnamon filling and a cinnamon glaze JUST like your favorite Pop Tarts from childhood!

One of my favorite snacks growing up were Pop Tarts. I had a few flavors I liked, but none were as favorable as the brown sugar and cinnamon ones. Those were top-tier!

I love them still to this day, but I don’t buy them as often because I just feel like I’d have no self-control around them. And similarly, after making these, I had the same issue. They are insanely good. You’ve been warned!

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop Tart Bars

What are Pop Tart Bars, exactly? It’s kind of like a cookie bar, consisting of a shortbread-type cookie (the same kind I used in my Salted Caramel Butter Bars!) sandwiched around a brown sugar & cinnamon filling. You’ll bake it until it is golden brown and set, and then top it with a cinnamon and vanilla glaze, very similar to the ones on the Pop Tarts.

These Pop Tart Bars have ingredients you probably have on hand, including:

• Butter: we’ll be using unsalted butter in the cookie recipe for flavor, and as our fat element
• Sugar: both granulated sugar and confectioners’ (powdered) sugar are used to make these bars extra tender and flavorful
• Salt: to balance the sweetness
• Vanilla Extract: for flavor
• All-Purpose Flour: for structure

The filling consists of brown sugar (light brown is fine!), ground cinnamon, and a little bit of all-purpose flour for some structure, mixed with melted butter. This will create a sandy texture that will be the perfect brown sugar and cinnamon filling for our bars.

Lastly, the glaze is just confectioners’ sugar, ground cinnamon, a splash of vanilla extract, and some heavy cream or milk whisked together until smooth.

Tips for Baking

• These bars can be stored at room temperature for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
• You can also freeze these bars without the glaze on them. Simply place the unfrosted bars in a single layer in a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months. Let thaw at room temperature, then glaze.

These Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop-Tart Bars are seriously DELICIOUS. You are going to FLIP for them!

*idea inspired by Butternut Bakery

I absolutely LOVE how these taste like a deep-dish Pop Tart! I hope you love them, too!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

The post Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop Tart Bars first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.

These Lemon Meltaway Cookies are buttery, tender, melt-in-your-mouth cookies bursting with sweet lemon flavor and a lemony glaze. Perfect for snacking!

Spring is officially here but Sacramento, as per usual, did not get the memo. Instead of the usual heat, though, we have been dealing with atmospheric river rains.

I mean… I will take rainstorms ANY DAY over heat. So bring on the umbrellas and rubber boots, I say!

But don’t worry – even if I will be swept to sea this spring, I’ll still try and bring you springy recipes like these cookies

Making Lemon Meltaway Cookies

These meltaway cookies are divine! The texture is so tender and light and they practically melt in your mouth. You can achieve this with cornstarch (which this recipe does not have) or by creaming the butter and sugar properly which gives the airy, fluffy texture.

Of course, the flavor comes from fresh lemon zest which cannot be replicated! You could use lemon extract in a pinch, but it’s just not the same as fresh zest. You’ll use fresh lemon juice in the glaze.

This recipe has pretty standard pantry ingredients, including:

• Butter
• Sugar
• Egg
• Lemon Zest
• Baking Powder
• Salt
• All-Purpose Flour

The icing uses lemon juice and confectioners’ sugar for a little tart zing. The icing is very similar to royal icing in that it hardens on the cookies so they’re stackable. I love this kind of icing for cookies and it tastes especially delectable on these meltaways.

Tips for Lemon Meltaways

• You can store these meltaway cookies at room temperature, airtight, for up to 5 days… if they last that long! Mine were gone within a day or two because I handed them off to neighbors.
• To avoid dense or overly dry cookies, be sure to measure your flour properly. I recommend spooning your flour into the measuring cup, then leveling off the cup with a butter knife as opposed to scooping your flour from the container or bag. Doing the latter (scooping from the bag) will use too much flour and create a drier, denser cookie similar to a hockey puck… not good! For that light and airy texture, you definitely want to measure your flour!
• For the best flavor, use fresh lemons as opposed to lemon juice and/or extract.

Buttery, tender, melt-in-your-mouth… these sweet and tangy Lemon Meltaway Cookies will sure to put a smile on your face!

*recipe from Dixie Crystals

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Lemon Meltaway Cookies

These buttery, soft and tender cookies are bursting with sweet and tangy lemony flavor! You'll love their melt-in-your-mouth texture and amazingly bright lemon flavor!

Course Cookies, Dessert

Cuisine American, Dessert

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 32 cookies

Ingredients

FOR THE COOKIES:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup granulated white sugar
• 1 large egg
• Zest of one medium lemon
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 cups all-purpose flour

FOR THE LEMON ICING:

• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375℉. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, in the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add in the egg and the lemon zest and mix well, about 30 more seconds. Lastly, add in the baking powder and salt, then begin adding flour 1/2 cup at a time and mix on low speed until fully incorporated.
• Using a Tablespoon-size cookie dough scoop, scoop out rounded Tablespoon-size balls of dough and place 1" apart on the baking sheets. Gently flatten each dough ball with the bottom of a greased or sugared drinking glass.
• Bake for 8-10 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking time to ensure even cooking. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then carefully transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
• For the icing glaze: In a medium bowl, whisk together the confectioners' sugar and the lemon juice until soft and glossy. Dunk or spread the glaze on the tops of the cookies and let the glaze harden before storing or serving. Cookies can be stored airtight at room temperature for up to 5 days.

These lemon cookies are so dreamy!

Craving more lemony goodness? Check out this recipe!

Copycat Starbucks Lemon Loaf

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

The post Lemon Meltaway Cookies first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.

These Brown Butter Brookies are a combination of brown butter chocolate chip cookies and fudge brownies in one decadent bar!

Happy March!

I cannot believe it is nearly springtime! Even though Sacramento is currently experiencing what could best be described for us as torrential rain storms and a freeze warning?!, I know the heat is coming!

Meanwhile, I am trying to brainstorm some fun spring recipes for you, along with some classic recipes to have in your arsenal. Who doesn’t want a brookie recipe?! Let’s talk about this one!

Brown Butter Brookies

Brookies are bars that consist of a chocolate chip cookie layer and a fudge brownie layer baked together into one decadent bar. They are a little bit more labor intensive than a regular recipe since you have to make both a brownie batter and a cookie dough, but boy, are they worth it. This particular recipe is for browned butter chocolate chip cookie dough which is out of this world amazing.

For the cookie portion, you’ll need the usual ingredients: butter, brown and white sugars, egg, vanilla extract, leavening, salt, flour, and chocolate chips. Super simple! Instead of using regular softened butter, we’re going to brown the butter to make it nutty, caramelized and fragrant – this deepens and elevates the flavor of the cookie dough. It is an extra step that is so delicious!

For the brownie portion, you’ll need: butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Another simple brownie recipe scaled down since we are stacking essentially two recipes together into one bar.

How to Brown Butter

If you’ve never browned butter before, it’s a simple process but requires you to keep a watchful eye on the pan, as it transforms from golden brown to burned and useless quickly! You’ll place the butter into a small saucepan and cook over medium-low heat until it melts, then allow it to keep cooking past the melting point. It’ll look like not much is happening, but then you’ll notice it start to bubble up and foam and you’ll see little browned bits forming on the bottom of the pan. Swirl the pan around a little bit and pull it when the butter is amber in color and fragrant. Do not step away as it can blacken quickly!

These bars are so delicious with the rich and complex addition of brown butter. I recommend using a higher quality chocolate chip, such as Guittard or Ghirardelli, to really bring out that delicious chocolate flavor.

Brown Butter Blondies are sure to become a new hit with your family and friends!

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Brown Butter Brookies

These Brown Butter Brookies combine brown butter chocolate chip cookie bars and fudge brownies into one decadent, dreamy bar!

Course Bars, Dessert

Cuisine American, Dessert

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 15 bars

Ingredients

For the COOKIE DOUGH:

• 12 Tbsp (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, divided, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 3/4 cup granulated white sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (I like Guittard)

FOR THE BROWNIES:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup granulated white sugar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder (Dutch process or unsweetened)
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 350° degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 13x9" light metal baking pan with foil or parchment, extending the sides of the foil or paper over the edges of the pan. Spray the foil or parchment with cooking spray; set aside.
• First, make your cookie dough. Place 4 Tbsp of the softened butter into a large bowl and set aside. Place the remaining 8 Tbsp softened butter into a small saucepan over medium-low heat and cook until melted. Continue cooking until mixture foams and bubbles and the butter begins to brown, about 5-7 minutes. Watch it carefully so it doesn't burn! Pour the browned butter, including all of the bits in the bottom of the pan, over the softened butter in the bowl you set aside earlier. Stir together until it is all melted together.
• To the butter bowl, add the sugars and mix well, followed by the vanilla extract, egg, and egg yolk, mixing well after each addition. Add in the flour, baking powder and baking soda, and salt and mix until just barely combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Press the cookie dough mixture evenly into the prepared pan. Set aside.
• For the brownies: In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter, granulated sugar and vanilla and stir until combined and shiny, about 1 minute. Add in the eggs, stirring well, followed by the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder and salt until just combined. Pour the brownie batter evenly over the cookie dough layer and try to cover the cookie dough layer as much as possible with the brownie batter.
• Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean or with moist, but not wet, crumbs. Cool completely before cutting into squares.

Notes

I recommend using a higher quality chocolate chip and cocoa powder for this recipe since it is such a simple recipe. For this, I love Guittard or Ghirardelli chocolate chips and/or cocoa powders. They both make excellent chocolate products.

When I tell you I could NOT stop eating these! They are divine!

Want some more brownie goodness? Check out this recipe…

Copycat Cosmic Brownie Cookies

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

The post Brown Butter Brookies first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.

These Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies are sinfully delicious and a fun way to elevate a classic cookie!

So the world is.. kinda crazy right now? And speaking from experience, when I am stressed, I need comfort! Bring on the cozy clothes and comfort food please and thank you!

I figured I would focus on making some classic, comforting recipes to have in my arsenal that would be delicious for me and my neighbors to snack on, but also good for you guys too! And who doesn’t love an elevated chocolate chip cookie?!

About these cookies…

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies are just like your regular chocolate chip cookies but made with browned butter instead of regular softened butter. What is browned butter, you ask? It is unsalted butter that you cook slowly on the stove in a pot until it melts, and then you continue cooking it after it melts until it caramelizes and well, browns. These little browned bits of butter will form on the bottom of the pan and the butter will have a fragrant nutty smell to it and may turn amber in color.

But be careful, because browned butter goes from gorgeous amber and perfectly golden to burned in a flash, so don’t walk away from the stove when you’re browning it! If it burns, it is useless.

Other ingredients in these cookies are:

• Granulated sugar and brown sugar: for sweetness and that chewy, molasses-y texture chocolate chip cookies are known for
• Pure vanilla extract: for flavor!
• Egg and egg yolk: for structure and the yolk is for added chewiness
• Baking powder & baking soda: leavening agents to help the cookie maintain its structure and puff up and spread just enough
• All-purpose flour: for the structure of the cookie
• Salt: for flavor and balance
• Chocolate chips: I use two types of chocolate chips in this recipe – dark chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate chips. I love the combination of the traditional semi-sweet chocolate chip mixed with the deeper richness of a dark chocolate chip. You can, however, use all of one or the other.

The Dough

The dough can be baked straight away after being made, but I recommend chilling the dough for an hour or two to let the flavors merry together and get that browned butter flavor really incorporated into the dough. This really deepens the flavor so much and helps prevent a ton of spreading.

Buttery, nutty, soft and chewy Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies need to be put on your table, STAT!

*adapted from Sarah Kieffer’s 100 Cookies book

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Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

These Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies are sinfully delicious and an elevated twist on a classic. Brown butter adds a seductive nuttiness and rich flavor to these soft and chewy cookies.

Course Cookies, Dessert

Cuisine American, Dessert

Prep Time 2 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 25 minutes minutes

Servings 24 cookies

Ingredients

• 12 Tbsp (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, divided, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 3/4 cup granulated white sugar
• 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips such as Guittard
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips such as Guittard
• Fleur de sel for sprinkling on top, optional

Instructions

• First, brown your butter: Place 8 Tablespoons of the butter into a small skillet or saucepan and cook over medium-low heat until melted. Once melted, do not step away as it will brown very quickly! Butter will start to foam, bubble and spit as it cooks, so swirl the pan occasionally and you will soon notice small browned bits at the bottom of the pan. Remove from the heat when it smells nutty and fragrant and is amber in color.
• In a large bowl, add the remaining 4 Tbsp softened butter and pour the hot browned butter (scraping all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan in there, too) into the bowl and combine the two until the softened butter has melted as well. Add in the brown and granulated white sugars and mix well, followed by the vanilla extract, egg, and egg yolk, mixing well after each addition.
• Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt to the bowl and mix until the dough just barely comes together. Stir in the chocolate chips. Scoop into Tablespoon-size balls and place on parchment-lined baking sheets. Refrigerate, loosely covered with plastic wrap, for at least 2 hours to allow the flavors to meld and deepen. Or, you can bake straight away.
• Preheat oven to 350° degrees F. Place the dough balls 2" apart on the baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking time to ensure even baking, then remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheets. If desired, sprinkle the tops of the still-warm cookies with fleur de sel.

Notes

I recommend using Guittard or Ghirardelli baking chips. When you're making a simple recipe with simple ingredients, I like to use high quality ingredients to allow the recipe to really shine. Guittard and Ghirardelli are excellent chocolate brands I recommend for baking.

These cookies are seriously life-changing and just as easy to bake for every day. I hope you enjoy them!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

The post Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.

These Peppermint Bark Brownie Cookies will soon become the first one gone on the Christmas cookie tray! Soft and chewy brownie cookies loaded with peppermint chips, coated in white chocolate and sprinkled with crushed candy canes. SO delish!

I am fully EMBRACING the holiday season. My trees (yes, plural) and decorations have been up since November 1st, and I have nearly all my Christmas shopping done. What can I say? I just adore this time of year. But lest you think my holiday spirit is nauseating (okay, it kind of is a little bit), I can assure you I am a total nightmare goblin person in summertime.

One of my FAVORITE things about Christmastime (among many) are all the peppermint-flavored things that come out of the woodwork. My latest faves are the peppermint Frosty at Wendy’s and peppermint ice cream sandwiches from Safeway grocery store. But my fave is good old-fashioned peppermint bark by Ghirardelli, though I am not picky – anything creamy and pepperminty is A+ in my book.

Peppermint bark was the inspo for these outrageously delicious cookies and boy did I knock this one out of the park, people. If you love brownies, peppermint bark and soft and chewy cookies, you’re going to LOVE these.

Peppermint Bark Brownie Cookies

These cookies begin with a brownie cookie base. The cookies taste JUST like a fudge brownie but in a cookie format. They consist of butter and chocolate chips melted together until smooth. Then we’ll whisk in some cocoa powder to add more rich chocolaty goodness. The batter is your standard cookie dough: eggs, sugars, vanilla extract, leavening, salt and flour. However, don’t be alarmed when you see that this cookie dough is more like a batter. It is on the looser side. If it makes you feel better, you can let it firm up for about 15 minutes before scooping. Then we’ll mix in some peppermint baking chips – I like Andes brand – or chopped peppermint bark.

Once they’re baked and cooled, we’ll dip half of them in some melted white chocolate. I like almond bark for this because it melts beautifully, tastes great and is readily available. Before it sets completely, sprinkle it with a little crushed candy canes. I mean… talk about HEAVEN.

Fudgy, soft and chewy brownie cookies loaded with peppermint bark goodness… y’all are gonna love these Peppermint Bark Brownie Cookies!

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Peppermint Bark Brownie Cookies

These Peppermint Bark Brownie Cookies are UNREAL. Fudgy, soft and chewy brownie cookies dunked in smooth white chocolate and fully loaded with peppermint candy pieces. So delicious!

Course Cookies, Dessert

Cuisine American, Dessert

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes minutes

Total Time 32 minutes minutes

Servings 24 cookies

Ingredients

• 8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder (unsweetened or Dutch process)
• 3/4 cup granulated white sugar
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 2 large eggs
• 1 Tbsp light corn syrup
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup + 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup peppermint baking chips (such as Andes - if you cannot find, you can use finely chopped peppermint bark)
• 1/2 pkg (8 oz) white chocolate candy coating (such as Candiquik)
• 3/4 cup crushed candy canes

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350° F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
• In a medium saucepan over medium low heat, combine the butter and chocolate chips and stir occasionally until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and whisk in the cocoa powder. Let stand for 5 minutes to slightly cool off.
• Meanwhile, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine both sugars, the eggs, corn syrup and vanilla extract and mix until just combined and smooth, about 1 minute. With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour in the chocolate mixture until fully combined. Lastly, add in the flour, baking powder and salt and mix until fully incorporated, scraping down the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed. Mix in the peppermint baking chips.
• Drop heaping 2 Tablespoon-size scoops of dough 3" apart on the baking sheets. The dough is very loose and more batter-like than a cookie dough. If you need to let it set for about 15 minutes, you can. Make sure you give them plenty of room since they do spread some due to the dough being on the thinner side.
• Bake for 12 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking time to ensure even cooking. Remove from the oven and let cool on the pans for at least 15 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
• Melt the white chocolate Candiquik according to package directions, or until melted and smooth. Dip half of the cookie into the melted white chocolate, allowing excess to drip off. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and immediately sprinkle with the crushed candy cane pieces. Let the candy coating set before serving or storing.

Notes

If you can't find Andes peppermint baking chips (which can sometimes be very hard to find for some reason), you can use finely chopped peppermint bark. Do not bake with candy canes as the pure sugar will melt and caramelize, creating a huge sticky, burnt mess.

These are so scrumptious! I know you’re going to love them as much as I did!

Have a super sweet day!

Craving more peppermint? Check out this recipe!

Bakery-Style Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

xo, Hayley

The post Peppermint Bark Brownie Cookies first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.

These Muddy Buddy Cookies are such a unique twist on the classic flavors of muddy buddies snack mix! Soft and chewy peanut butter cookies, chocolaty ganache frosting and topped with muddy buddies for added crunch and garnish! So fun!!

Boy, do I have a knockout recipe for you today. *rubs hands together evil plotting style*

I love muddy buddies, but I often forget about them because I am a single household of one and have no self-control around desserts I like. For instance, my Peppermint Muddy Buddies were something I inhaled the entirety of, so I never make them because they are a menace to me. And I do not need an whole dang bag of muddy buddies tempting me with their siren song.

Also, while they are great, they could use a little boost in the imagination department. I mean, they’re kinda boring to look at, ya know? So these cookies elevate their appearance from humble coated cereal into a gourmet cookie no one can resist.

Muddy Buddy Cookies

So first things first. If you’ve made it this far and are like, what even are muddy buddies? I’ve gotcha covered. Muddy Buddies themselves consist of Chex cereal that you traditionally coat in melted chocolate and peanut butter and then shake up with some powdered sugar. They’re peanut buttery, chocolaty and sweet with the powdered sugary coating. Now that we have that down, let’s talk about these COOKIES.

The cookies begin with THE world’s softest and chewiest peanut butter cookie recipe ever. I seriously cannot handle how unbelievably soft these cookies are. They’re made with a whopping 1 cup of creamy peanut butter, so the flavor is out of this world. They are so tender and delicious, but just sturdy enough to hold the toppings we’re going to load up on them.

No surprise ingredients here: just butter, brown and white sugar, peanut butter, eggs, vanilla extract, baking powder and soda, and flour. So easy.

Next up is our ganache layer! For this, I’m using semi-sweet chocolate chips and creamy peanut butter melted together and spread on top of the cookies. Even when it hardens, it remains soft and delicious, almost like a fudge. OMG, it’s heaven!

Last is the muddy buddy layer. You are SO welcome to make your own muddy buddies, butttt I went and took the shortcut and used the prepared muddy buddies made by the Chex Mix brand. I found them at Target on the chips aisle. It saves a step and you have something to snack on while the cookies bake.

Soft, chewy, creamy and rich with a crunchy cereal garnish – these Muddy Buddy Cookies will be THE star of your cookie tray!

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Muddy Buddy Cookies

These Muddy Buddy Cookies have all the elements of muddy buddies snack mix into a soft and chewy cookie! A soft and chewy peanut butter cookie topped with fudgy chocolate ganache and crunchy muddy buddy pieces for a delectable, gourmet cookie!

Course Cookies, Dessert

Cuisine American, Dessert

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 36 cookies

Ingredients

For the Peanut Butter Cookies:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter (like by Skippy or JIF brand)
• 1 cup granulated white sugar + 1/3 cup, divided
• 1 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2½ cups all-purpose flour

For the Ganache Frosting & Topping:

• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 Tbsp creamy peanut butter
• 1½ cups Muddy Buddies snack mix (like by Chex brand, prepared or homemade)

Instructions

• For the cookies: Preheat your oven to 350° F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, peanut butter, 1 cup of the granulated sugar, and the brown sugar together until creamy and smooth, about 1 minute. Add in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition, followed by the vanilla extract. Lastly, add in the baking powder, baking soda, and flour and mix until a soft dough comes together. Meanwhile, add the remaining 1/3 cup granulated sugar to a separate small bowl and set aside.
• Using a 2-Tablespoon size cookie dough scoop, portion out 2 Tablespoon-size balls of cookie dough and roll them into a ball. Roll the ball into the granulated sugar and place 1-2" apart on the baking sheets.
• Bake for 8-10 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking time to ensure even cooking. Cool for about 10-15 minutes on the pans before carefully transferring to wire racks to cool. Cookies will be very delicate. Cool completely.
• For the ganache: In a medium microwaveable bowl, add the chocolate chips and peanut butter. Microwave on HIGH power for 30 seconds. Stir. Microwave on HIGH power for another 30 seconds, stirring until melted and smooth. Drop a heaping teaspoon or two of the melted ganache on top of each cookie and spread it out. Garnish with the muddy buddies while the ganache is still tacky. Allow the ganache to set, about 20 minutes, before serving or storing.

Notes

For an easier shortcut, I like to use prepared muddy buddies by the Chex brand. I found them in the chip aisle at Target. 

This recipe works best with regular peanut butter, not natural peanut butter which tends to be too oily.

If you love peanut butter and chocolate, you’ll go nuts for these cookies!

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley

The post Muddy Buddy Cookies first appeared on The Domestic Rebel.