What do Grandparents do with kids?
Well, for us, this weekend two of them (ages almost 10 and 4) came for a sleepover. We did lots of stuff.
A little makeup — notice the younger one’s THIRD eye is green (the other two are a rich mahogany brown).
A little reptile painting.
Some reading (a Harry Potter book).
And of course we cooked. Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Of course. Who doesn’t love chocolate chip cookies?
And you not only get to scoop flour and press brown sugar into the cup and crack an egg to see if this time you can do it without breaking the yolk but you can also nibble a few chocolate chips while you’re adding them to the dough SO ALWAYS MEASURE OUT EXTRA CHIPS, MORE THAN THE RECIPES SAYS.
This batch turned out to be one of the VERY VERY BEST OF ALL TIME.
We’ve made these dozens of times. They are actually chocolate chip-oatmeal cookies and the recipe is called Grand Finale cookies in my book Hip Kosher. But in case you don’t have the book, here’s the recipe (I know I’ve done this before but I am telling you — these are the best chocolate chip cookies you’ll ever eat). I actually add more chocolate chips than the recipe says. Of course.
Grand Finale Cookies
1 cup all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup orange juice
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups quick cooking oats
1-1/4 cups chocolate chips
1 cup packaged coconut
1 cup chopped almonds (finely chopped)
3/4 cup raisins
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a cookie sheet. In a bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Combine the butter, brown sugar and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat at medium speed for about 2 minutes, until creamy and well blended. Add the egg, orange juice and vanilla extract and beat thoroughly to blend them in. Add the flour mixture and beat until thoroughly blended in. Add the oats, chocolate chips, coconut, almonds and raisins. Blend the ingredients thoroughly. Scoop blobs of dough onto the cookie sheet, leaving ample space between each cookie. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until lightly browned and crispy. Makes about 3 dozen.