Favorite Cookie [061-070]

Wooof, this has definitely been the most stretched out round of cookie posts yet! I started this seventh round of posts way back in January and I'm only now getting to the "Favorite Cookie" post, and it's almost April. That's no good. I've been lazy. I've failed at whatever New Years resolution I made regarding this blog. Whatever, who cares, at least I'm still baking a lot, even if I don't update in a timely manner. All cookies will be revealed in due time!

Anyway, here we are at the end of the seventh round of cookies, and ready to forge ahead into the eighth round. That's pretty cool! That means I'm about 40% done with this journey. I think that means I'm ahead of schedule, since I just passed my 1 year anniversary. Right on! I hope my math's right, or else I'm screwed.

Okay, enough meaningless banter. The favorite cookie? Duh...

1st place (Blue Ribbon!): Carrot Cake Sandwich Cookies

Well I don't know what to say that I didn't already say in my glowing review of these cookies. Just click the link and read about them. Or if you're too lazy, here's the short version: These are insanely delicious and you need to make them. Done and done.

2nd place (Honorable Mention!): Chocolate-Black Pepper Cookies

Sure, these aren't very fancy looking or complex to make, but despite their simplicity, they have a pretty complex flavor. The espresso and cinnamon work really nicely with the chocolate giving it a deeper flavor, and then the addition of black pepper on top is really amazing. Surprisingly good, and super easy to make.

3rd place: Chocolate Mint Sandwiches

These will definitely wow your friends and enemies alike, but they do take time and effort to make. They taste good, but I'm not sure that their taste is really worth the effort in the long run. But if you're looking for a more in depth recipe for a party or something, these would be a really good choice.

4th place: Milk Chocolate Cookies

Simply really nice cookies. Perfect for people who are silly and don't understand why dark chocolate is far superior to milk chocolate. That being said, you could also substitute dark chocolate chunks into the dough and make a cookie with a little more punch. But either way, these are just really good cookies that will make you happy. Happy cookies.

5th place: Peanut Butter Cookies

This recipe is different than your usual Peanut Butter cookie being that it makes a buttery, shortbready cookie instead of a chewy, soft cookie like you'd expect. They are very peanutty, so if that's not your thing, don't make them. But, if you love peanuts, these are your cookie. Dip them in chocolate and you are my new best friend.

6th place: Hazelnut Thumbprint Cookies

These guys are nice, and they would look great at a tea party or some other equally frilly event, but they aren't very special in flavor. They taste nice, and you can really change them around by using different types of jam or curds, as well as different kinds of nuts. However, the actual dough of the cookie is rather lacking in flavor and is kinda boring.

7th place: Chocolate Charms

As I wrote in this cookie's post, these Chocolate Charms really benefit from the use of high quality cocoa powder. They have one flavor: chocolate--so don't cut any corners, or else the cookie will be lacking. I did just that and chose to use some lame-o Hershey's cocoa powder and I regretted it. On the brighter side, they taste like crunchy hot chocolate (a good thing? yes!).

8th place: Mocha Shortbread

I already forgot about these, even though I made them practically less than a week ago. They need way more espresso powder to earn the name "Mocha." But they would be great with a dollop of fancy vanilla bean ice cream or some other gourmet topping. An easy, boring recipe, but it has the potential to go places.

9th place: Brown Butter Toffee Blondies

I would have given these guys last place if I was judging them solely on their end result, but the batter for these blondies was so supremely tasty that I just can't. It was all my fault, I think, that these guys didn't work out--so obviously they don't deserve such a low ranking, but what can I do? I suggest you make these, but keep an eye on them as they bake!

10th place (Brown Ribbon!): Hazelnut Cookies

These did not work, and this time I don't think it was my fault. I've made meringues before out of The Book, and they worked amazingly, but these failed. I think it was the order in which Martha has you mix in the sugar--it turned the meringue into marshmallow paste. End result was awful, hard, chewy, strange. Boo.

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Ta-da! Done! Great, now we can move on to bigger and better things, right? Right! And by the way, Happy Passover everyone! I'm going to make the Chocolate Chip Cookies for Passover to celebrate, but I won't get around to posting the recipe until Pesach is way way over. Unless you're one of the unfortunate ones that will be subjected to a painfully long seder; in that case, I might post the recipe before Elijah's breaking and entering into your home. Only time will tell.