sweet treats

Apricot Chocolate Chip Cookies

/ Jodi / 28 Comments

apricot chocolate chip cookies

Apricot and semi-sweet or dark chocolate is such a yummy combination, so I thought I’d try it in a cookie – as a twist to my “almost famous” chocolate chips cookies.

apricot chocolate chip cookie

and it’s a winner according to my guys.

apricot chocolate chip cookie batter

I snipped a half pound of dried apricots into the batter.

apricot chocolate chip cookies on rack

and tweaked up my original chocolate chip recipe by exchanging vanilla extract with half almond and half orange extract (though I think vanilla might be yummy too) and used 1/2 a bag of mini semi-sweet chocolate chips to allow the apricot to be the “star” of the cookie.

apricot chocolate chip cookies plate

The balance of flavors seemed just right.

Hope you’ll give them a try.

And can you believe it is the last day of January 2015 already!?!?  We are hunkering down for a snow storm here in Mars this weekend, and of course, the Super Bowl, so we will be set with some sweet treats if “needed.”  🙂

How about you?  What’s happening in your part of the world this weekend?

Have a good one!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

And here is the recipe.  Enjoy!

Jodi's Apricot Chocolate Chip Cookies

  • Servings: 2 dozen large cookies
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

1 cup butter, softenedapricot chocolate chip cookies plate
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1/2 tsp. orange extract
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/2 lb. (8 oz.) dried apricots, snipped into small chunks
1/2 lb. (8 oz.) Nestle’s Mini Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Blend softened butter with granulated and brown sugar with mixer until well incorporated. Add in almond and orange extract and eggs and mix on medium-high speed until creamy. Add in flour, baking soda, and salt on low speed until incorporated. Fold in apricots and chocolate chips.

Chill dough for at least 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Roll dough into golf ball sized balls and flatten slightly.

Bake for approximately 10 minutes.

I think I will share this recipe with my friends over at Fiesta Friday for the Anniversary Party, because every party needs cookies – right?!  Check it out for lots of awesome recipes by some amazing foodie bloggers!

Orange Creamsicle White Chocolate Chip Cookies

/ Jodi / 15 Comments

Orange Creamsicle White Chocolate Chip Cookies 1

As promised yesterday, today I am sharing the other orange cookie recipe that I made this weekend: Orange Creamsicle White Chocolate Chip Cookies.

And they really taste like Orange Creamsicles!  Remember that yummy ice cream treat we used to get as kids?  A little orange citrusy tang, but oh so ice creamy!!

Orange Creamsicle White Chocolate Chip Cookies 2

I have never made a cookie recipe that called for cornstarch before, but I love how tender these cookies turned out – just a tiny bit crispy on the outside, but softbatch-like on the inside.

They also get their intense flavor from using three extracts:  vanilla, almond, and orange, as well as a couple tablespoons of freshly grated orange zest.

Orange Creamsicle White Chocolate Chip Cookies zest

The creamy flavor comes from the addition of half and half and from the white chocolate chips.

Orange Creamsicle White Chocolate Chip Cookies 3

I took both these and the Orange Slice & Oatmeal Cookies to our Chinese New Year’s Party yesterday, as oranges are supposed to bring good luck.

Come back tomorrow to see some highlights from that great celebration.  (Here’s a little sneak peek – appetizer time with tender teriyaki beef on skewers.)

chinese new year 2015 teriyaki beef

Here’s today’s cookie recipe:

ORANGE CREAMSICLE WHITE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

INGREDIENTS:  (As adapted from Averiescooks.com)

1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons almond extract
2 teaspoons orange extract
2 tablespoons half-and-half
2 tablespoons freshly grated orange zest
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons corn starch
1 teaspoon baking soda
pinch salt
12 ounce bag white chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

With electric mixer,cream together butter, sugars, egg, and extracts on medium-high speed until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the cream, zest, and mix on medium speed until incorporated, about 1 minute.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl again, and add the flour, corn starch, baking soda, and salt, and mix on low speed until just incorporated, about 1 minute. Do not overmix.

Add the white chocolate chips, and mix on low speed until just incorporated.

Form heaping two-tablespoon mounds. Place mounds on a large plate, flatten slightly, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or up to 5 days, before baking. Do not bake with warm dough because cookies will spread and bake thinner and flatter.

Preheat oven to 350F. Place mounds on baking sheet, spaced at least 2 inches apart (I bake 8 cookies per sheet) and bake for about 8 to 9 minutes, or until edges have set and tops are just beginning to set, even if slightly undercooked, pale and glossy in the center. Do not overbake because cookies will firm up as they cool. Baking longer than 10 minutes could result in cookies with overly browned undersides.

Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooking. Cookies will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 4 months. Unbaked cookie dough can be stored airtight in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or frozen for up to 4 months.