Chocolate Chip Cookies, and a Twist!

I have NEVER, had a better chocolate chip cookie than these. They're soft, filled with chocolate chips, and have ever so slight a hint of lemon. "Lemon with chocolate?" you might ask. Yes, I know it sounds a bit weird, but have you ever tried a chocolate chip cookie with a hint of lemon in it before? Well, if you haven't, now would be the perfect time to start! Plus, these cookies look pretty.

This recipe makes A LOT of cookies; about 5-6 dozen. And they're not small. So if you make the original recipe without halfing it, you're going to need a REALLY big bowl. This is what I use...

Big fellow.

Well, I know you're dying to have the recipe for these scrumptious cookies, so here it is!

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies in the World

1 1/2 cups butter, softened

1/2 cup oil

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

5 eggs

1 Tbsp. vanilla

1 tsp. lemon extract

2 Tbsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

6 cups white flour

2 cups wheat flour

16 oz. package chocolate chips

1 cup chopped nuts, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, cream together butter, oil, and sugars. Add in eggs, vanilla and lemon extract. Then stir in 2 cups of white flour and the wheat flour. Knead in chocolate chips and nuts. Then add the rest of the flour.

Shape dough into ping-pong sized balls, place on ungreased baking sheets, and flatten slightly.

Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown.

MmmmmMmmm! Have I convinced you yet? Well, if I haven't, then it's time for the twist. Take a look at these!

This is an easter egg cookie cutter. Bet ya can't guess what I'm going to do with it!

Take a cookie dough ball and press it into the egg shaped cookie cutter. Remove the cutter, and repeat.

Well, I could just bake them now, but I've got a better idea!

Got any of these on hand?

They're mini wooden popsicle sticks!

Insert one into the bottom of each of the dough balls eggs.

Bake.

Okay, I know, they don't look much like easter eggs...yet.

So, we shall prepare royal icing!

Royal Icing

3 egg whites

4 cups powdered sugar

1/2 teas. cream of tarter

1/2 teas. clear vanilla or almond extract

Place ingredients in bowl and beat on medium high for a full 10 minutes. Icing will become thick and glossy. Keep covered with damp cloth while using. Icing hardens with a nice sheen.

Lay out cooled cookie pops on a sheet of wax paper. Frost with royal icing.

Hmm. Still not white enough. Let icing harden, and then, do another coat!

 

Much better!

Place the remaining icing in small bowls, and tint desired colors. Then, put frosting in small plastic sandwich bags, cut a small hole in the corner of each, and decorate the cookie pops!

Looks good!

        Tastes even better!

By this time, I hope you're convinced! Of course, if you made the pops, you wouldn't have to do them in the shape of an easter egg. You could do any shape that strikes your fancy. I've got to admit, these are definately killer cookies!