URS: The Cookie Throwdown

This week flour flew in my kitchen as the kids and I baked up a veritable storm. Wow! And we lived to tell about it. We also filled the freezer with calzone dough, apple pies, french bread, quick breads, chocolate-zucchini cake, and cookies.

One of the highlights this week was a Chocolate Chip Cookie throwdown between a family heirloom recipe and one supplied to us by Land O’ Lakes. Land O’ Lakes also provided us with some butter to try. Delicious!

We set the kids up as judges last night after dinner. Cookie A or Cookie B? They were hilarious as they compared notes, commenting on flavors, tastes, textures. It was a little tough to judge. There are some slight nuances that are different. The kids had a hard time deciding, though several did prefer Gramma’s because it was “saltier.”

Here are both recipes, as promised. You’ll have to let us know which you prefer.

(Personally, I’m sticking with Gramma John. According to my husband, it’s a more “complex” flavored cookie. He preferred the family heirloom, as well.)

Gramma John’s Blue Ribbon Crispy Crunchy Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 cups flour
2 teaspoons soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon salt
1 12-ounce bag chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 F. Cream together sugars, oil, and butter. Add eggs and vanilla, mixing thoroughly. Blend in flour, soda, cream of tartar and salt. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop batter onto cookie sheet in rounded tablespoons. Bake 8-10 minutes or until set.

Chewy Jumbo Chocolate Chip Cookies
from Land O’ Lakes

4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups Land O Lakes Butter, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar
2 Land O Lakes All-Natural Farm-Fresh Eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 (12-ounce) package (2 cups) real semi-sweet chocolate chunks or chocolate chips

Heat oven to 375 F. Combine flour, baking powder and baking soda in medium bowl; set aside.

Combine butter, sugar and brown sugar in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla. Continue beating, scraping bowl often, until well mixed. Reduce speed to low. Beat, gradually adding flour mixture, until well mixed. Stir in chocolate chunks.

Drop dough by 1/4 cupfuls, 2 inches apart, onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10 to 14 minutes or until light golden brown. (Do not over bake.) Let stand 1 minute on cookie sheet; remove to cooling rack.

Recipe Tip
For 2 1/2-inch cookies, drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls, 2 inches apart, onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until light golden brown. Makes 4 dozen cookies.

How about you? What’s your family’s favorite cookie recipe? Share it with us today! Everyone who participates today will be entered for a chance to win Land O’ Lakes butter.

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3. Above all, please stick to topic. Today is cookies. So if your recipe doesn’t appear to be for cookies, it will be deleted. Thanks for understanding.

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Looking forward to seeing what you have to share!

P.S. To find out how to win free Land O’ Lakes butter, visit my giveaway page.

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