Chocolate Chip Cookies

How many ways can you make a chocolate chip cookie?  I was surprised by how many recipes there are.  Thanks for my slight obsession with pinterest, I have tried a few.  This recipe is adapted from one I found on the blog, The Girl Who Ate Everything.  Which is a cute blog, and she has some amazing recipes on there.  I was drawn to this recipe because one, it used my new kitchen gadget, the food processor, and two, she used hard boiled eggs in the recipe instead of raw eggs.  And because my in laws love me, they gave me a 18 carton of boiled eggs.  All of the colored and all of the going bad in the fridge.  So, what better way to use them up then by making cookies?  I tried her recipe first, and I liked it.  The taste was a little off for me though.  I don't know if it was the hard boiled egg, or the vanilla.  But it just didn't seem exactly right.  I did however love the texture, it reminded me a little of a pastry.  Which, essentially, it is.  Because you start the recipe by making a basic dough like a pie crustt.  So, back to the good old drawing board I went.  I wanted to see if  could come up with something else that was similar but that I would like a little more.  It never hurts to try a new recipe.  And my kids weren't complaining.  It has been a while since I baked anything sweet.

For the hard boiled egg recipe, you can follow the link here

Chocolate Chip Cookies, adapted from the girl who ate everything.

2 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup coconut oil, solid form
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 large raw eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

In your food processor (if you have one) mix together the flour and coconut oil until the dough comes together and makes a slight crumbly mixture.  Add the baking soda and salt mix until just incorporated.  Add the eggs, sugars, and vanilla and mix until the dough comes together.  Place chocolate chips in and stir with a spoon until the chips are well mixed with dough.  Preheat oven to 350.  Spray or line baking sheets with parchment.  Scoop out dough into balls, and flatten slightly on pan.  Bake for 13-15 minutes.  Let rest 1 minute on pan and then let cool on a wire rack.  These cookies do not spread.

I liked the coconut oil addition, and found that the raw versus hard boiled egg did not alter the recipe much.  The only issue with this adaption, was the coconut oil doesn't like a hot kitchen.  But you couldn't taste the coconut at all, it was very slight.  I loved the texture of this cookie.  It reminded me of a pie crust, just thicker and with chocolate chips!

Black Bean Chocolate Cupcakes

I try really hard to be conscience of what I eat.  Sometimes I fail at this, (don't we all?) but for the most part I eat a healthy diet full of vegetables, some fruit, whole grains and little meat.  I also love to bake.  So, I bake.  And I don't feel too bad about it.  After all, I've compared my cupcake recipes with a Hostess cupcake, and seven ingredients versus, um, 38..well, baking a cupcake for my kid doesn't seem to be wrong.  My son wanted a Twinkies, of all things today at the store.  His grandpa loves them, he wanted one.  He was going to cry until he got one..but I told him that I would amke him cupcakes instead.  He wasn't thrilled, but once he tastes these, he might just forget about Twinkies.

This recipe was found at Chocolate and Carrots 

BB Chocolate Cupcakes (makes 12)

1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed, or 1 1/2 cup
4 eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
5 Tbsp coconut oil or unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
5 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda

preheat oven to 350.  Line your muffin tin, and spray the paper lightly with cooking spray.  In a blender or food processor, blend together black beans, eggs, vanilla, and coconut oil or butter.  Blend until smooth.  Add the sugar, cocoa, baking powder, and baking soda.  Blend until well incorporated and smooth.  Fill your cupcakes.  Bake 25 minutes, let cool and frost.  I added a Cadbury egg to each cupcake before baking.  YUM>

I used my standard buttercream for the frosting.

Review:  I loved this recipe.  The cupcakes turned out great, and I didn't notice the black beans at all.  I'm wondering if there is a way to make this recipe completely dairy free...something I am willing to try.  I think you should try this, make it when your kids aren't home so they aren't grossed out by the beans.  :)