White Chocolate Snickerdoodles

Dear 2012,
Be good to me.
Love,
Amanda
PS If you aren't, at least provide cookies.

If your 2012 isn't starting out so well, make cookies. It's my solution to all of life's problems. Cookies and chocolate. They cure all life's bumps.
These cookies are a delicious twist on the classic snickerdoodle. I have yet to meet someone who won't eat a good snickerdoodle. Sugary, cinnamony, buttery. What more could you ask for? Well after you try these, you're going to want to put white chocolate in all your snickedoodles. Delish.

White Chocolate Snickerdoodles
Adapted from Love Veggies and Yoga

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 egg whites
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips

(Plus 1/4 cup sugar mixed with 2 teaspoons of cinnamon for the cinnamon sugar coating)
Preheat oven to 350.
Beat sugars and butter until smooth. Add egg whites and vanilla. Mix in cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and flour until dough comes together. Mix in white chocolate chips. Chill dough for 20-30 minutes.
Roll 1 inch balls out of the dough and roll in cinnamon sugar mixture. Place on a greased baking sheet 2-3 inches apart. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool and enjoy!

(Also, I've started a fashion blog over here!) 

Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

We've all been there. Wondering why you bought bananas just to let them rippen up to the point of almost rotting. It's unfortunate but we all do it.
Well here's my inspirational quote of the day.
When life hands you rotten bananas, make banana bread.
Or in this case banana cookies. Either is delicious but people get tired of good old banana bread pretty quickly. So these mix it up a bit.
These cookies are not as cakey as the usual recipes you see for banana or pumpkin cookies. They have a bit of a chewy texture to them and are more flat like a usual chocolate chip cookie.
Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies
Adapted from Baking Bites

• 2 1/3 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 3 egg whites
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/2 cup mashed banana (1 banana)
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg whites, mashed banana, and both extracts. Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix in chocolate chips until completely distributed.
Drop by tablespoonfuls onto a greased baking sheet. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool and enjoy!

Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies

Cookies are my go to baked treat. They're simple, don't take long, and pack so much goodness into such a small thing. Cookies are good. If you can make nothing else, at least try making some cookies. You may surprise yourself. 

You know red velvet cake, right? 

If you haven't had it, you need to. It's like nothing else. It's incredibly delicious when made right. And who could resist a pretty, brightly colored cake? 

These cookies give you that fun without having to make an entire cake with frosting. They are chewy and so delightful. I took a batch to the misters house and came back the next day to find a bag with only three or four cookies left. I asked him what happened to them and he simply replied "They're too good."

Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies

Adapted from How Sweet It Is

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 egg whites
• 1 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 2/3 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 5 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon red food coloring
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375.

Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add egg whites and vanilla.

Stir in flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder until well incorporated. 

Add the red food coloring and mix until the color is well dispersed.

Mix in chocolate chips. 

Chill for about 30 minutes. Drop by tablespoonfuls on a greased baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes.

Cool and enjoy!

White Chocolate Seven Layer Bars

These are magical. That's the only way to describe these bars. I'm sure you've heard of the traditional seven layer bar. It's a classic. A delicious classic. But these take that to the next level.
Make these, cut them into circles with a cup, stand at the counter and eat the left over edges.
Calories don't count when you're standing up, right?
....
I thought so.

White Chocolate Seven Layer Bars
Adapted from Love From the Oven

• 1 1/3 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 6 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 (14oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips
• 1 1/4 cup flaked coconut
• 1/3 cup slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 350.
Place the butter in a 13x9 pan and place in the oven to melt while the oven preheats.
Sprinkle the graham cracker crumbs over the melted butter. Press down. Pour the condensed milk over the graham cracker crumbs. Sprinkle the white chocolate chips and nuts over the condensed milk. Lastly, sprinkle the coconut. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned.
Remove from oven and let cool for 30-45 minutes. Cut and enjoy.