If you've been reading this blog for a while you know about the party cookie...one of my favorite recipes if you like chocolate chip cookies and need something for a party or gift. In the past I always baked them up as large cookies...1/4 cup, 1/2 cup or 1 cup of batter at a time. You can see some of those HERE.
This time I decided to bake them up in fairly standard single cookie size, partly so that I could give them away next door to the construction workers who could easily pick one (or two!) up that way to snack on, and partly because I wanted to try something different with nuts.
I scooped out cookie dough with a disher and they were about 2 tablespoons worth for each cookie. I flattened them a bit and baked six at a time on a 12-inch pizza pan. Half of them got my treatment of being dipped on the bottom in chopped pecans. It worked well because as the cookie baked the nuts were browned, along with the cookie bottom. Delicious if you like pecans!
So, you can see how versatile this recipe is. Making some yourself soon?
XO, Elle
Party Cookies
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup brown sugar, light or dark, packed
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs
½ cup quick rolled oats
2 cups (12-oz. package) semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ cup chopped nuts (I used pecans)
½ cup dried fruit (I used dark cherries)
For circle or heart shaped cookie:
1 cup M & M candies in appropriate colors (optional but fun)
1 cup confectioners sugar
2 tablespoons hot milk
Assorted cake decorations such as dragees, colored sugar, colored small shapes, chopped nuts
Combine flour, salt and baking soda in a small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl and beat until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape bowl and beaters. Gradually beat in flour and beat until mixed. Beat in oatmeal. Mixture will be stiff. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.
Line a 12” pizza pan or baking sheet with foil. Spray with cooking spray. For a big circle cookie if using the pizza pan, put 2 cups of the dough on the foil. Using floured fingers, shape dough into desired shape, either circle or heart. Smaller hearts on baking sheets use 1 cup dough each. Exaggerate the shape since cookie will spread. You can fit two smaller hearts per pan. Sprinkle M&Ms over dough shape and pat lightly into dough, if using.
Bake one sheet at a time in middle of oven for 10 - 18 minutes (depending on the size of the cookie) until golden brown. Let sit on sheet for 10 minutes, then slide shape on foil onto a cooling rack. Continue to bake the rest of the dough. You can make regular drop cookies instead, as I did today. I put the chopped pecans on a tray and dipped the smaller (2 tablespoons of batter) drop cookies in them on the bottom. Place bottom side down on the baking sheet. If you leave the decorations off and the dried fruit out, as I did, they look like simple chocolate chip cookies.
Once the cookie has cooled, if you like you can decorate for a party! Mix the confectioners sugar and milk and drizzle over the cookie in a random pattern. If you like you can color the icing. While it is still wet, sprinkle cake decorations over as desired. To edge with colored icing as Raine did, add a bit more confectioners sugar. The cookies are pretty with just the M& Ms, too.
Put decorated cookies on party platter and serve. Pieces can be broken off or you can cut it into portions. If it is for a birthday party, candles will stand up for a brief time; long enough to light them and sing Happy Birthday! For Mother's day, wrap carefully in clear plastic wrap and add a bow. If you are good with icing, you can put Mom or her name in the middle of the heart.
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