Chocolate Toffe Cinnamon Chip Cookies

I stopped in a grocery store that I don't usually shop at the other day just to pick up a few things. As I was making my way down the aisle I saw a bag of cinnamon chips out of the corner of my eye. My husband looked at me like I was crazy as I immediately grabbed 2 bags with a huge smile on my face and tried to (calmly) explain to him how I've tried looking in our regular grocery store for cinnamon chips so many times but never found them.

I had a hard time deciding what I want to make with them (luckily I bought 2 bags and now I know where to buy more) but ultimately decided on some chocolate toffee cinnamon chip cookies when I saw the bag of heath pieces in my pantry. I was a little worried that I might be throwing too many flavors into one cookie, but once I tasted the cookie I realized I had nothing to be worried about! All the flavors married together amazingly!

These are really good. They have a perfect chew with a crispy exterior. The cinnamon and toffee makes them a perfect fall cookie. I decided to use mini chocolate chips because I didn't want the chocolate to overwhelm the cinnamon and toffee. I ended up using about 1/3 cup of cinnamon chips because I was worried about it tasting too cinnamon-y. You could definitely taste the cinnamon but it wasn't overpowering. If you really like cinnamon then add more, but I liked them just they way they were!

I will definitely be making these again, but in the mean time I'll be looking for other recipes to use my remaining bag of cinnamon chips. (Hint, hint... suggestions welcome!)

Recipe - Makes 20 - 30 cookies
Adapted from AllRecipes
Ingredients:

• 2 cups bread flour (regular will work fine too)
  
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 Tablespoons milk
  
• 1 cup toffee bits
  
• 1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
  
• 1/2 cup cinnamon chips
  

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg, egg yolk, and milk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended.
   
4. Stir in the chocolate chips, toffee chips, and cinnamon chips by hand using a wooden spoon. (At this point I like to chill the dough for at least 1 hour. If you don't they will still taste amazing but they may spread a little)
   
5. Drop cookie dough by rounded spoonfull onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 2-3 inches apart.
6. Bake for 15 in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

The Great Cookie Spreading Experiment

I know I'm long overdue for a post, but this one is a good one! I call this the great cookie spreading experiment. (I feel like Alton Brown!) You see, a few months ago I posted about how I found the PERFECT base for my chocolate chip cookie recipe. I was happy as a girl could be. But then... a few people tried the recipe themselves and reported that their cookies spread a little when they were baked. This confused me since mine hardly spread at all the first time I baked them (maybe it was the weather?).

The recipe that I used called for milk to be added into the cookie dough. I figured that reducing the liquid would reduce the spreading, and so the cookie spreading experiment was born.

(1/4 c, 2 T, no milk)

The original recipe called for 1/4 cup of milk. I made the recipe as written orginally, with 2 tablespoons of milk, and with no milk. The results?

From left to right: no milk, 2 tablespons., 1/4 cup

As you can see, there was a definite difference in the spreading. Sure enough the 1/4 cup of milk DID spread a lot. Even though they all tasted amazing, I had a clear favorite. My favorite was the middle cookie with 2 tablespoons of milk. The reduction from 1/4 of liquid helped with the spreading but having some liquid in there kept it moist and chewy. The ones with no milk were also really good. The bread flour and the extra egg yolk kept them chewy. They held their shape really well, so if you're looking for a cookie that definitely will not spread, skip the milk all together!

So here it is... my OFFICIAL favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe

Recipe - Makes 20 - 30 cookies
Adapted from AllRecipes
Ingredients:

• 2 cups bread flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 Tablespoons milk
  
• 1.5 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup mini m&m's (optional)
  

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
2. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg, egg yolk, and milk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended.
   
4. Stir in the chocolate chips and m&m's by hand using a wooden spoon. Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart.
5. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.