One Pot Cookies

I don't know about you, but sometimes I don't bake just because I don't feel like doing the dishes. If I'm really tired, just the idea of breaking out the mixer is enough for me to opt out. So when my daughter asked if we could make cookies, I modified this recipe to use only one pot and a spatula. No mixer. That I can handle, even when I'm exhausted and in no mood to deal.

ONE POT COOKIES

Makes 1 1/2 dozen (3-inch) cookies

12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter

1 cup brown sugar (light or dark)

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

2 cups + 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 to 2 cups chocolate chips (or other chips/candies of choice)

________________________________________________________________________

1.      Preheat oven to 325º F. Adjust oven racks to upper- and lower-middle positions. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

2.      Melt butter in a large pot. Remove from heat and let cool for about 5 minutes.

3.      Add sugars to butter and mix until thoroughly blended. Mix in vanilla, egg and yolk. Add flour, salt and baking soda; mix until just combined. Stir in chips.

4.      Form scant 1/4 cup dough into a rough ball. Place formed dough on cookie sheets, about an inch apart.

5.      Bake, reversing cookie sheets’ positions halfway through baking, until cookies are light golden brown and outer edges start to harden yet centers are still soft and puffy, 15 to 18 minutes (start checking at 13 minutes). To ensure a chewy texture, cool cookies on baking sheets. Store in airtight container.

Note:  Dough can be refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen up to 1 month (shaped or not). Frozen dough requires an extra 1 to 2 minutes baking time.

adapted from Cook’s Illustrated

adding sugars to melted butter

sugar/butter mixed; adding egg and vanilla

mixed

adding flour, salt and baking soda

Stir the dry ingredients together a little, while they're
still sitting on top of the wet mixture. Then mix.

flour etc. mixed in

I let my daughter pick what type of cookie...we used
white chocolate chips and Vermont Nut-Free Skippers
(faux M&M's that are safe for my daughter's peanut allergy)

dough mixed

The dough is pretty thick, so it's easiest to mix the
chips in with your hands. You're about to roll the
dough with your hands anyway - it's all good.

dough balls rolled

We made ours a little smaller than the recipe says
because we needed closer to 2 dozen cookies for my
daughter's last day of camp party.

boom! one pot cookies

.