For the past couple of years, Lindsay over at Love and Olive Oil and Julie at The Little Kitchen have been putting on a big fabulous internet extravaganza called The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap. Basically cookies were in everyone’s faces as bloggers swapped a dozen cookies with three other bloggers then ate the whole three dozen by themselves. I could have swore I read somewhere that we got a pair of pajama jeans for post cookie inhaling.
My contribution for this sugar explosion was something to use up all the brown sugar I’ve been making because I’ve been a brown sugar factory and I feel so Ina about it. You know how she is with chicken stock, that’s me with brown sugar. I’m basically one crisp white shirt and a barn away from being as fabulous as she is.
When I had made all the brown sugar in the world I had two recipes set aside: my one bowl blondies and Joy’s brown sugar cookies. I figured that Joy’s would be easier to ship so I made a double batch, threw in some toffee bits, and sprinkles a little Maldon on top.
OO. WEE.
These babies stay nice and chewy thanks to the brown sugar, are practically screaming MAKE ME INTO AN ICE CREAM SANDWICH, and are perfect for gift giving this year. Joy describes them as chocolate chip cookies without the chocolate chips and that’s totally what they are. We sneak some ginger and cinnamon in there, just enough to be like hey gurl not hey gurl heyy and it makes me think that they’re holiday cookie royalty.
When I sent my batches out to the other bloggers I got them bagged up and taped some keewwt labels on there aaand I gave them some fresh brown sugar because that’s who I am now. Also confetti was involved because duh. Rectangle shaped hole punches FTW!
On top of all this business, I’ve included a printaabbllllle! That tag up there gets printed out, folded and stapled to a clear bag (4x9x2). How easy is that?!
BRB I need to starch my shirt.
Salted Brown Sugar Toffee birthday cake protein cookies
sort of adapted but not really from Joy the Baker
makes about 2 1/2 dozen with a medium cookie scoop
2 c all-purpose flour
2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1/2 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t ground ginger
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 c dark brown sugar
1 t vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/2 c toffee bits
maybe a chopped up bar of chocolate?
flaky sea salt
In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ginger. Set aside.
Place butter and brown sugar in the bowl of an electric stand mixer. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the egg and vanilla extract, and beat on medium speed for one minute more.
Add the dry ingredients, all at once, to the butter and sugar mixture. Beat on low speed until the dough begins to come together and the flour disappears. Stop the mixer and add the toffee bits. Finish incorporating the ingredients with a spatula. Once all the flour is thoroughly mixed in, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 halfway through that waiting time and place some parchment paper on a cookie sheet. PARCHMENT PAPER IS YOUR BEST COOKIE BAKING FRIEND.
Scoop dough onto the baking sheet and sprinkle with that flaky sea salt. Bake cookies for 10 to 12 minutes if baking two sheets at a time (8-10 if using one sheet), or until lightly browned around the edges. DON’T OVERBAKE. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes, before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Cookies will last, in an airtight container at room temperature, for up to 5 days.