Category Archives: cookies

Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies: Pumpkin Remix

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Do you know what happens when you combine your (my) favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe with the flavors of fall? Choco-chip-cookie-punkin-chunkin-REEEE-MIIIIIIX.

I’ve got remixes on the brain ever since I watched the finale of So You Think You Can Dance and heard this Circle of Life remix. DARE YOU NOT TO LISTEN AND LOVE AND DANCE ALONG IN YOUR LIVING ROOM. Dare ya.

I love this pumpkin remix cookie because:

  1. Some of the fat is replaced with pumpkin puree, so it’s healthy.
  2. Some of the white flour is replaced with whole wheat flour, so it’s healthy.
  3. You can dance around your living room like Simba to the Circle of Life remix and burn off all the cals consumed from the punkin cookie remix, so it’s healthy.

Chocolate chip pumpkin remix cookie. Health.

(Plus it’s chewy and gooey and makes your kitchen smell like the best fall smell you could ever imagine smelling.)

NAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNTSSS INGONYAMAAAAA (Did you have any idea that’s how it’s spelled? Me neiths.)

Chocolate Chip Cookies: Pumpkin Remix (adapted from my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe)

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup margarine or butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup shortening
  • 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 egg
  • 1  cup all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice*
  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

*I got my pumpkin pie spice from Trader Joe’s, but you can make your own using this recipe, or if you’re feeling REALLY daring, just throw together some combination of cinnamon/nutmeg/ginger/allspice/cloves.

Directions

  1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat brown sugar, sugar, butter, shortening, and pumpkin until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and egg; blend well.
  2. In a seperate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. With the mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat until fully combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
  3. Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

 

Birthday Confetti Cookies

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Let’s be honest here: I’ve never been one of those people who are like, “Ohhh, don’t make a big deal for my birthday. It’s just another day.”

Um, no. I’m more like one of those people who’s like, “Did you hear? What today is? MY BIRTHDAY. Uh huh uh huh yes HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME.” The bigger the celebration, the better. I’ve basically been asking for a surprise birthday party for all 25 years of my life. So…someone figure that out in the next 364 days. I’ll try to forget that I asked for it.

In light of this birthday obsession, it’s really only fitting that I make my own birthday cookies stuffed with M&Ms and rainbow sprinkles, right?

Right.

Additionally, in honor of turning 25 today, I’ve decided to share:

25 Things You Probably Don’t Need to Should Know About Me.

  1. I keep snacks with me at all times because if I don’t know when the next time I’ll have access to food is, I’ll have a mental breakdown. You don’t know! It could be days!!
  2. I swear by LipSmacker’s Dr. Pepper chapstick. NOTHING compares.
  3. My and Mike’s parents got married on the same date – year and all! It’s pretty much the only reason we’re still dating. (KIDDING, kidding. We like at least 2 things about each other).
  4. I have kitchen OCD. Dirty pot in the sink? You better believe I’m losing sleep over it. (This does not bode well for our new dishwasher-less apartment).
  5. I can’t sleep unless my room is freeeeeezing. Like, 60 degrees or less. Cold nose, cold cheeks, snuggled under a down comforter, pleaseandthanks.
  6. I took dance classes until 6th grade, at which point I forgot my solo in the middle of the recital, realized I have about as much rhythm as an elephant, and said SEEYA!
  7. If I had to pick one kind of food to eat for the rest of my life, it would be – without a doubt, forever and ever – PIZZA. Or maybe s’mores.
  8. I named my younger brother, Peter. I told my parents (before he was born), “I’m going to have a little brother and you’re going to name him Peter!”
  9. I might be psychic.
  10. But really. Sometimes I just think about a song while my iPod is on shuffle and it comes on next.
  11. 25 things is a lot of things so I’ll keep the next few short:
  12. Rainbow sprinkles.
  13. Paris.
  14. Puppies.
  15. My first blog post. (I cannot believe I’m showing you this. OH, the places you’ll go!)
  16. Until the age of 8 10, I legitimately thought “pillow” was pronounced “pellow”. WHY DIDN’T ANYONE EVER CORRECT ME ON THIS????? For TEN YEARS????
  17. I have a scar on my forehead from the time my brother threw a rock at me. Accidentally? On purpose? Unclear.
  18. I’ve had pinkeye every year since I was a freshman in college. Until this year. When I became allergic to my contacts.
  19. I love talking about #2 (not the item on this list, the bodily function. Obv.) and I select my friends based on who’s comfortable with this topic. Overshare don’t care!
  20. I can (and do) convince myself I have pretty much any rare disease. Last month I had a painful bump on the back of my head and the ONLY possible explanation was an Amazonian spider had laid its eggs in there.  Am I getting TMI in these last few items???
  21. I started out as an animal science major in college until they made me clean up cow poop and I said, SEEYA!
  22. I am still 100% sure the girl from The Sixth Sense lives under my bed, so when I go to bed at night I leap in from at least 4 feet away so she can’t grab me.
  23. One time in middle school I had a pet hermit crab for a week until it crawled out of its shell and died. DO NOT google “hermit crab without shell”.
  24. I consider solo dance parties in my room to be a legitimate form of exercise.
  25. My totally non-aggressive date to the 8th grade formal broke Mike’s arm in a hockey game, like, 6 years before we ever met. #starcrossedlovers

I hope you feel like you know me better. Fascinating life I’ve got goin’ on over here ;)

But let’s get back to these cookies! Made with browned butter and brown sugar and lots of vanilla, they’re not-too-sweet (just how I like ‘em!) and chewy and crispy. Happy birthday to me, inDEED.

Birthday Confetti Cookies

yield: ~40 cookies, depending on size

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, browned and cooled
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1 egg + 1 egg yolk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups mini M&Ms
  • 1/2 cup rainbow jimmies

Directions

  1. In a large pan, melt the butter on medium-high until it starts to brown (it’ll bubble and become darker in color, but be careful not to let it burn!) Allow to cool for 30 minutes.
  2. When the butter has cooled, pour it into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer and add the sugars. Beat on high until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and add the egg and vanilla; beat until combined.
  3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixture and stir until almost combined. Add the M&Ms and sprinkles and mix on low until fully combined. Roll the dough into 2-inch balls (or smaller, if you’d like) and bake for 8-10 minutes, until edges are just golden brown. Cool on a wire rack and enjoy!

Ooey Gooey Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie

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Some things:

1. Last week I found out that I’m allergic to my contacts. Unbeknownst to me, my eyes have been having such a severe reaction that I’m banned from wearing contacts for SEVEN DAYS. Do you know how good I look in glasses? Do you know how especially good I look when it’s 97 degrees and 105% humidity and my glasses keep sliding down my nose and I have to repeatedly push them back up because I CAN’T STOP SWEATING???

2. Really. I can’t stop.

3. It’s a good thing I already have a boyfriend. (Who is taking the bar one week from today. Send him some good vibes!!)

4. Recent revelation I had: MmmBOP was the original Call Me Maybe. Someone back me up on this???

5. I accidentally hit publish on this post IN THE MIDDLE OF WRITING IT (sorry to all my email subscribers who got a half-written, non-edited surprise in their inboxes last night!) and then I cried to Mike about how I’m the most embarrassing person on the face of the earth. Two hours, five double-stuf Oreos, and seventy-eight pushes of my glasses back up my nose later, I finally got over it, thanks in part to…

6. Chocolate chip cookie pie. Goo.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.oey.

I really can’t think of another way to describe this pie other than the gooeyest most gooeyrific chocolate chip cookie explosion to ever hit your taste buds. You HAAAAAVE to eat a slice warm with a serious scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. It’ll change yo’ LIFE.

Ooey Gooey Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie (slightly adapted from Nestle Toll House)

For the graham cracker crust:

  • 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (roughly one package of graham crackers, finely crushed)
  • 5 tablespoons melted butter
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

For the pie:

  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • pinch of salt
  • 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup milk chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Prepare the graham cracker crust; mix graham cracker crumbs, butter, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl. Press firmly and evenly into a 9-inch circular pie pan.
  2. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the eggs on high for 1-2 minutes, or until foamy. Beat in flour, sugars and salt, then scrape down the sides and beat in the softened butter and vanilla. Fold in milk & dark chocolate chips.
  3. Pour the batter into the prepared graham crust. Bake for 55-60 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the center looks set. Serve warm, and with vanilla ice cream!

Peanut Butter Cup S’mores Bars

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WARNING: This post is going to be 97% rant and 3% delicious baked goods.  It’s my blog and I can rant when I want to.

It’s kind of a rite of passage into adulthood that at some point in your grown-up years, you have a really terrible landlord.  But I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again…my landlord is pretty much the WORST.

Exhibit A: The other day my roommates and I got locked inside our apartment (HELLO fire hazard) because our doorknob fell off.  Just a casual turn of the handle and *pop!*…bye bye doorknob, bye bye ability to open door.  So we’re locked in our apartment imagining all the ways we’re going to die and trying not to use up all the oxygen as the walls slowly close in on us and we think, who can help us get out of this pickle?

Our landlord, right?

Wrong.  Though she lives one floor below us, we are NOT allowed to call the landlord.  For any problems, whatsoever, periodendofstory.  It’s even part of our lease agreement!  Locked in your apartment?  Tough.  Hot water stops working?  Too bad.  Raccoon burrowed in your bedroom wall?  Deal with it.

Luckily we have a back door and were able to escape, praise Jesus.

Exhibit B: I recently received an IRATE phone call from Landlady Extraordinaire because we’ve apparently been shortchanging her on rent each month.  Which would typically be a big deal, but…

Try to guess how much we’ve been shortchanging her by.  Seriously, guess!  Bet you can’t.

ONE.  PENNY.

A penny!  One cent!  1/100th of one dollar!

I get it.  Times are tough.  But lady?  Even if we shortchanged you every month for 2 years, you wouldn’t even be missing a QUARTER.

So obviously we stuck an envelope of pennies underneath her door with this month’s rent.  We really know how to do the mature thing.

Exhibit C: She threatened to call the police last month because she heard the guys who live across the hall swearing.  Seriously!  Can’t make this stuff up.  I live in an orphanage.

Luckily I have the coolest apartment with the best natural kitchen light in all of Brookline, which totally makes up for my mean old landlady.  But you better believe I am NOT sharing my baked goodies with Cruella de Vil anytime soon.

None of that had to do with peanut butter cup s’mores.  But these bars?  They combine my two ALL-TIME-FAVORITE baked goods and are the new *!*!*Best thing I’ve ever made!!*!*!  I’m never eating a s’more sans peanut butter cup or peanut butter cup sans s’more ever again.  Cross my heart hope to die.  Peanut butter cup s’mores are life.

Peanut Butter Cup S’mores Bars (adapted from Pinch of Yum and Sprinkle Some Sunshine)

yield: 16 large/20 small squares

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 1/4 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
  • 16 peanut butter cups, regular size
  • 1 1/2 cups marshmallow fluff*

*Fluff is pretty impossible to measure, so this doesn’t have to be an exact amount, just kind of eyeball it. As long as you have enough to cover the PB cups, you’re good to go.

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line an 8×8 baking dishing with parchment paper; coat lightly with cooking spray.
  2. In a large bowl of the bowl of stand mixer, beat butter and sugars until fluffy.  Beat in egg and vanilla until combined.  Scrape down the sides.  With the mixer on low, stir in the flour, baking powder, salt, and graham cracker crumbs until mixed.
  3. Spread 2/3 of the dough on the bottom of the prepared baking dish.  Lightly press the peanut butter cups into the dough, then spread marshmallow fluff on top.  Press the remaining dough on a non-stick surface into the shape of an 8×8 square.  Place the square on top of the fluff and press down lightly.
  4. Bake for 30 minutes or until the edges just begin to brown.  Allow to cool for at least two hours* to give the bars a chance to set, then remove from the pan and cut into squares with a large, sharp knife.

*Originally I said the bars needed to cool for 8 hours, but after making them again I’ve realized they’re ready to go after only about 2. I also bet they are DAAANG good straight from the oven ;)

Vanilla Bean Peanut Butter Macarons

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When I make macarons it goes a little something like this:

!!!!PANICPANICPANICPANIC *peek in the oven* OMGdomymacaronshavefeet? *ban self from kitchen until bake time is over* PANICPANIC  PANIC PANIC PANICPANICPANIC!!!!

Really, it’s the worst.  I don’t know why I put myself through it.

But, in addition to my Parisian vanilla bean purchase, I also bought some almond flour at G. Detou.  Yes, I realize they sell almond flour in America, and yes, I realize it’s insane to lug a five-lb bag of almond flour all over Paris.  But I’ve got myself convinced that FRENCH almond flour will give me greater FRENCH macaron success.  It’s science?

In any event, I think all my Mike’s almond flour lugging in Paris did the trick, because yesterday I had macaron success #2!  They aren’t THE prettiest or most perfect macarons to ever grace my oven, but they suuuure do have feet.  And that is all I can ever really ask for, ya smell?

OH!  And since I’m officially o-v-e-r my vanilla/vanilla kick, I decided to fill these puppies with peanut butter buttercream. Mmmmm hmmmm.

Vanilla Bean Macarons (from I <3 Macarons)

Ingredients

  • 2/3 cup (85 grams) ground almonds/almond flour
  • 1 1/2 cups (150 grams) powdered sugar
  • 3 large egg whites, at room temperature
  • 5 tablespoons (65 grams) sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract OR seeds from 1/2 vanilla bean

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees (the original recipe says 375 degrees, but I found that my macarons were overcooked and dry at that temperature). Line two large baking sheets with silpat or parchment paper.  Put the almond flour and powdered sugar through a sifter twice.  Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg whites on high until they are foamy.  Gradually add the sugar and vanilla beans; continue to beat on high until egg whites are stiff, firm, and glossy.  The whites should stick to the beater in a big clump.
  3. Add half the sifted flour mixture to the egg whites.  Gently fold in until no flour is visible; add the rest of the flour mixture and mix carefully in a circular motion.
  4. When the flour has just been incorporated, spread the batter against the sides of the bowl, scrape from the bottom, and fold over; repeat 15 times.  Once the batter drips slowly off the spatula and moves like lava, you’re done.  DON’T OVERMIX – check the batter for consistency each time you fold.
  5. Put the batter into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round tip.  Pipe the batter into 1-inch circles on the prepared baking sheets.  When you’re done piping, rap the baking sheets HARD against the counter 4 or 5 times.  This will help the batter spread slightly and allow any air bubbles to pop.
  6. Allow the batter to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes, or until a “crust” develops and the batter no longer sticks to your finger when you touch it lightly.
  7. Bake the macarons on the center rack of the oven for 15-18 minutes, rotating once halfway through.  Cool on a wire rack.  When completely cooled, gently peel the macarons from the baking sheet and match up like-sized macarons for filling.

Fill with a buttercream, jam, or ganache of your choice.  Personally, I’m partial to peanut butter :)

Brown Butter Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

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When I was in preschool, we made Valentines for our parents that said “I love my parents because ________.”  I’m sure the other little kiddos said things like “…because they love me” or “…because they give me great hugs”.

I said, “I love my parents because they let me eat white bread.”

Seriously!  True story.  Real life.  I love my parents because they let me eat white bread.

If that isn’t a MAJOR RED FLAG for a future foodaholic, I don’t know what is.

Even at the ripe age of four years old, I knew what was up.  Sliced white bread, that’s what.  For the next 20 years, it was a serious struggle to get me to eat whole wheat anything.  Now that I’m older, wiser, and watched enough “This is Why You’re Fat” documentaries to last me a lifetime, I know that white flour = bad and whole wheat flour = good.  But that doesn’t mean I’m going to stop eating white flour anytime soon.

However, thankfully, miraculously, Trader Joe’s has started selling white whole wheat flour!  I’m not entirely sure of the nutritional specifics, but it’s basically the best thing that’s ever happened to me.  Whole wheat flour that looks and tastes white??  All over it.

So I’ve fancied up my standard chocolate chip cookie recipe with healthy whole wheat flour and BROWN BUTTER.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: if you’ve never browned butter before, STOP WHAT YOU’RE DOING, drop everything, and go do it RIGHTNOWTHISMINUTE.

I can’t even talk to you about how many spooncupfuls of this cookie dough I ate.  But if we’re being honest with each other…at least 15.  Oh, and I’ve gone on Facebook 3 times since Lent started.  I hope this doesn’t hurt my chances of getting into heaven.

As a former whole-wheat-hater, you know that if I’m saying whole wheat cookies are good, they’ve gotta be really good. And these are better than good.  The whole wheat flour gives them more depth of flavor and a crumblier texture, and the brown butter gives them a nuttiness that is IMpossible to resist.   Dare ya.

Brown Butter Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

yield: about 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter, browned
  • 1/2 cup shortening
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 egg
  • 1 3/4 cup white whole wheat flour*
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
*If you can’t find white whole wheat, sub 1 cup whole wheat flour + 3/4 cup white all-purpose flour.
Directions
  1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.  Allow it to bubble, swirly constantly, until it starts to brown.  Remove from heat and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes.
  2. In a large bowl of the bowl of a stand mixer, beat brown sugar, sugar, browned butter, and shortening until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and egg; blend well.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add flour mixture slowly to the butter mixture; beat on low until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned.  Cool on a wire rack.

Candy Cane Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Oops, I did it again.

Seriously though, how many chocolate+peppermint things can one girl make?  I blame Wegmans’ bulk candy section.  Pre-crushed candy canes?  Sure, I’ll take 15 scoops.

Now I have a giant bag of candy cane pieces sitting in my cabinet just begging me to sprinkle them on any (and every) thing.

I threw some peppermint bits into my standard chocolate chip cookie dough batter along with the last remnants of the candy cane Joe Joe’s and holy guacamole…these cookies are GOOOOD.  The candy cane melts into the dough and then hardens up as it cools, creating a crunchy (and pretty!) peppermint shell.

Use this chocolate chip cookie recipe (or your favorite) and add 1/2 cup candy cane bits, plus 1/4 cup for sprinkling on top.  Make sure you grease your cookie sheet, or better yet, use parchment paper.  Those melted candy canes can be sticky little suckers!

Now all we need is some snow!

Biscoff Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Today was one of those days.

It started off innocently enough.  I was baking pumpkin muffins with the kids in my class and they were acting like ANGELS.  At one point I took them to the kitchen to put the muffins in the oven and gave them each an ingredient to put back in the cabinets.  They walked down the stairs quickly and quietly, deposited their ingredients in the proper places, and even lined up at the door to go back to the classroom, on their own, without needing a reminder.  Parents walking by oohed and ahhed and I patted myself on the back for being the world’s best preschool teacher.

Fast forward to an hour later.

I’m standing in the middle of the playground holding an imaginary pet bunny in one hand and a magical guinea pig in the other while simultaneously handing over my “ticket to the magic show” and catching the daredevil who is about to stumble off the ladder WHILE resolving an argument between two children and trying to find a teacher to take A to the bathroom because she has to go RIGHTNOW.  I was also probably singing twinkle twinkle little star and hopping on one foot but at this point it’s all a blur.

Before going inside we did 25 jumping jacks and screamed at the top of our lungs for 5 seconds to “get the wiggles out”.

And it only got worse from there.

It was the kind of day where I had to take 750 deep breaths and repeat “Patience is a virtue. I love my job.” over and over.

Don’t get me wrong.  I usually DO love my job.  But it’s days like these that put me (and my sanity) to the test.

And a day like today can only be fixed by one thing… freshly-baked chocolate chip cookies.  Stuffed with Biscoff spread.

Yeah, whatever.  I eat my feelings.  Judge me.

If you haven’t tried Biscoff yet, you really should.  Like, now.  It’s a spread made of cookies, for goodness sakes!

So, anywho…let’s talk cookie-stuffing.  Whip up a batch of your favorite chocolate chip cookie dough.  Drop tablespoons of it on a cookie sheet and make a little dent in the middle.  Fill with a teaspoon (or so) of Biscoff (peanut butter would work too!).

Give them all cookie dough hats.

And bake in a 375 degree oven for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges.

I promise these will make ANY day better.

Cookie Dough Truffles

2 Replies

Last week someone googled “mustard no way not gonna let that ruin my day” and landed on my blog. Mustard. Like the condiment.

Does that person think those are the words to the song? (original lyrics: “No sir, no way, I’m not gonna let that ruin my day”) Is this like the little girl in my class who sings “Pumped Up Kicks” as “humpback kids”? Mustard ≠ no sir.

Now that song is stuck in my head, only I’ve replaced “no sir” with “mus-tard” and it really is ruining my day.

This is my life.

At least we have cookie dough truffles.

The only thing better than cookie dough is cookie dough dipped in chocolate. And the only thing better than cookie dough dipped in chocolate is eggless-cookie-dough-dipped-in-chocolate-that-won’t-give-you-salmonella-or-cause-your-boyfriend’s-fake-egg-allergy*-to-flare-up.

Something I’ve noticed?

I wash my hands IMMEDIATELY after cracking an egg, as if the salmonella is going to seep into my pores if I don’t wash it away fast enough… but somehow I have no problem eating 18 tablespoons of raw cookie dough. Riddle me that.

Head over to Recipe Girl to give these babies a whirl!

*Debatable.

Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Pie

11 Replies

I almost lost my toes Saturday night.

Although this was the predicted weather forecast:

I was dressed as Rosie Grace McClelland for Halloween, and you KNOW girlfriend does NOT wear snow boots. So I went out in ballet flats. Which was fine, until me and my roomie Domenica were completely unable to get a cab home (because Boston has THE WORST cab system in all of the world) and gallivanted around in the slush for 30 minutes, essentially… barefoot. I called Mike in complete hysterics, and our conversation went a little something like this:

Me: (sobbing uncontrollably) I c-c-c-c-CAAAAAAAAAN’t get H-h-h-H-H-OOOOOOOOOOOOME.

Mike: Where are you? Calm down.

Me: I C-C-C-C-AN’T feel my feet and I CAAAAAAAAAAAAN’T GET HOME. I’m strAAAAAAAANded.

Mike: Where are you? Can I come pick you up?

Me: MY FEEEEEEEEEEEEEET. I CAN’T FEEL MY TOOOOOOOOOOOOEEEEEESSSSS. What will my PARENTS SAY when I have to explain why I LOST MY TOOOOOOOOOOOOOES?

Mike: Let me come pick you up. Calm down.

Me: I HAAAAAAAAAAAAATE BOSTON. Can I sue someone over my BLACKENED TOES? My TOES. I can’t FEEL THEM.

Mike: You’re not going to lose your toes. And you can’t sue Boston for being cold.

Me: (uncontrollable sobbing)

Mike: You know, the T is still running. You could take it home.

At which point Domenica and I ran to the T. I lost my flats 15 times and repeated over and over in between sobs “What will my parents say when I call to tell them that I no longer have TOES?!?!!?!?” It was the WORST. NIGHT. EVER.

The good news is I did not, in fact, lose my toes. And my oh-so-caring boyfriend greeted me and Domenica at the door with two steaming mugs of hot cocoa. We soaked our footsies in lukewarm water (Isn’t there a rule about frozen extremities and hot water? Something to do with bursting capillaries? I made that up.) then went to bed, and all I night I dreamt of chocolate and peanut butter and cookies and warmth.

The moral of the story is: Chocolate and peanut butter and cookie dough will always taste good, even if you don’t have toes.

So make this cookie pie, toeless or not.

I got the cookie pie idea over at Fresh and Foodie, but it was totally my frostbitten mind that thought of adding Reese’s mini MINIS:

Maybe I should get frostbite all the time.

Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Pie (adapted from Haute Box)

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup Reese’s Peanut Butter minis (the tiniest ones – or you could cut up regular-sized)
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 10-inch springform pan with cooking spray.
  2. In a small bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In the bowl of mixer, blend sugar and butter on medium-high until fluffy. Add vanilla and egg, and mix until completely combined.
  4. Mix in the dry ingredients until just combined. Do not overbeat! Fold in the peanut butter cups.
  5. Press the dough into prepared pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until slightly golden at the edges. Allow to cool completely before removing from pan.