Key Lime White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Beach bum – my husband’s ideal career choice. Like a wide-eyed toddler on Christmas morning, Andy bubbles over with excitement as soon as his toes touch a sandy beach. The aqua blue waters of the Caribbean tempt him, begging him to ride its waves and play in its surf. The warm sun reflects off the twinkle in his eyes. He is happy, content, relaxed, and a little mischievous.

These cookies, the last in the series of his favorite desserts, are the essence of Andy’s favorite place. Key lime juice and lime zest provide a bright tartness that is offset by creamy white chocolate chips. Like the perfect beach vacation, these cookies are refreshing, vibrant, and leave you wanting more.

½ cup butter, room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 egg yolk

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

¼ cup key lime juice

1 ½ tsp grated lime zest

1 cup white chocolate chips

1)  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

2)  In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar, egg and egg yolk until smooth.

3)  Mix in lime juice and zest.

4)  Combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Blend into creamed mixture.

5)  Stir in white chocolate chips.

6)  Form dough into ½ inch balls and arrange on cookie sheets.

7)  Bake 12-15 minutes or until edges start to lightly brown.

8)  Cool on cookie sheets for five minutes and remove with a metal spatula.

9)  Continue cooling cookies on wire racks.

Makes 2 dozen cookies.

Recipe from Good Things Catered.

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Starting a food blog is a slow process when you’re such a perfectionist. I have cookbooks that spill from my kitchen into my living room, my carefully organized three-ring binder is starting to explode from the volume of dog-eared magazine pages, and I have so many starred recipes in my Google Reader that the Milky Way is jealous. How could I decide which recipe to post first?

So, I’m not going to decide. The first few posts on my new blog will be Andy’s 5 star, don’t you dare share these extras with coworkers, cannot shovel into his mouth fast enough, favorite desserts. Starting with a classic – chocolate chip cookies. Not just any old boring, Phoebe Buffay “Nesele Toulouse” cookies*, but that perfectly crisp outside, velvety soft inside that tingles your tongue down deep to your soul, chocolate chip cookies. The perfect balance of cookie and chocolate that begs to be savored with a frosty glass of milk. Or small large bowl of vanilla bean ice cream.

Makes about 18 large cookies or 36 small cookies.

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons (10 5/8 oz) unbleached all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 cup (7 oz) dark brown sugar

½ cup (3 ½ oz) granulated sugar

1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1)      Heat oven to 325 degrees.

2)      Whisk flour, baking soda and salt together in a medium bowl; set aside.

3)      In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix butter and sugars until thoroughly blended.

4)      Beat in the egg, yolk, and vanilla until combined.

5)      Add the dry ingredients and beat at a low speed until just combined.

6)      Stir in the chocolate chips.

7)      Roll ¼ cup (2.15 oz) of dough (use half for smaller cookies) into a ball and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.

8)      Bake until cookies are golden brown, outside edges have started to set, but the centers are still soft, about 15-18 minutes.

9)      Cool cookies on the baking sheet and remove from sheet with a metal spatula.

From the lovely Brown Eyed Baker.

*If you haven’t seen this Friends episode, you really should!