UPDATE! I made these cookies on Monday. I stored them in a plastic container but today they are hard. They would be good for "dunkers" but I don't "dunk". I did some research and found several solutions. I thought I would share this with you in case you made them and they got hard on you too.
1) Place a slice of bread in the closed container. I was familiar with putting a slice of bread in the container with the brown sugar when it became hard. So I did that a little while ago.
2) Another thing I read said to place a cookie in the microwave for 10 seconds. I did that and it tasted like the cookies did when I cooked them on Monday. They won't stay soft forever, so just do this before you want to eat one.
3) Use butter at room temperature. One place I read was talking about how butter should be at room temperature and not melted. I remembered that in Joanne Fluke's book the recipe said the butter should be at room temperature. When I made the cookies, I didn't notice that and so I softened the butter in the microwave for 30 seconds. It didn't completely melt, but I will remember that next time. The discussion said "melted" butter would make the cookies hard.
So I have learned a lot making these cookies. Hope this information will be helpful for you, too.
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Tomorrow is my day to volunteer at Hillcrest Thrift Shop. Last week I took a dozen of my cookies to share with them. The response was so good, I decided to try another recipe this morning that I saw in Joanne Fluke's Plum Pudding Murder. I had some pretzels left from an earlier recipe so I had everything in my pantry to make the Chocolate Chip Pretzel Cookies.
According to the recipe, it makes 5 dozen cookies. I considered cutting the recipe in half so I wouldn't be making so many, but didn't. I just decided I could take more to share. I did make one change .... I used half soft wheat flour and half whole wheat pastry flour for the flour in the recipe. I figured there would be enough flavors from the pretzels, molasses, and chocolate chips that it probably wouldn't be noticeable and it isn't to me. The true test will come tomorrow when I share them with my co-workers. The crunchy taste from the crushed pretzels is great .... doesn't need any nuts which is good for people who have nut allergies. In all of Joanne's recipes, she also always says to pack the flour when measuring it. I have never seen this before in recipes. So I measured it her way and then remeasured it for my records. When I made them, I made 6-1/2 dozens.
Continue until you have crushed the entire bag. Measure and repeat if you need more for the recipe.
I did about a cup at a time. When I figured I had enough and measured the two cups, the little bit I had leftover, I just put in a small bowl and ate with a spoon.
* * * * * * *
1) Place a slice of bread in the closed container. I was familiar with putting a slice of bread in the container with the brown sugar when it became hard. So I did that a little while ago.
2) Another thing I read said to place a cookie in the microwave for 10 seconds. I did that and it tasted like the cookies did when I cooked them on Monday. They won't stay soft forever, so just do this before you want to eat one.
3) Use butter at room temperature. One place I read was talking about how butter should be at room temperature and not melted. I remembered that in Joanne Fluke's book the recipe said the butter should be at room temperature. When I made the cookies, I didn't notice that and so I softened the butter in the microwave for 30 seconds. It didn't completely melt, but I will remember that next time. The discussion said "melted" butter would make the cookies hard.
So I have learned a lot making these cookies. Hope this information will be helpful for you, too.
*********
Tomorrow is my day to volunteer at Hillcrest Thrift Shop. Last week I took a dozen of my cookies to share with them. The response was so good, I decided to try another recipe this morning that I saw in Joanne Fluke's Plum Pudding Murder. I had some pretzels left from an earlier recipe so I had everything in my pantry to make the Chocolate Chip Pretzel Cookies.
According to the recipe, it makes 5 dozen cookies. I considered cutting the recipe in half so I wouldn't be making so many, but didn't. I just decided I could take more to share. I did make one change .... I used half soft wheat flour and half whole wheat pastry flour for the flour in the recipe. I figured there would be enough flavors from the pretzels, molasses, and chocolate chips that it probably wouldn't be noticeable and it isn't to me. The true test will come tomorrow when I share them with my co-workers. The crunchy taste from the crushed pretzels is great .... doesn't need any nuts which is good for people who have nut allergies. In all of Joanne's recipes, she also always says to pack the flour when measuring it. I have never seen this before in recipes. So I measured it her way and then remeasured it for my records. When I made them, I made 6-1/2 dozens.
CHOCOLATE CHIP PRETZEL COOKIES
1 cup softened butter -- room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
3 tablespoons molasses
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 beaten eggs
2 cups crushed salted pretzels (measure after you crush them.)
3 cups flour (I used half soft wheat and half whole wheat pastry flour)
1-1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Mix the softened butter with the sugar and the molasses. Beat until the mixture is light and fluffy and the molasses is completely mixed in.
Add the vanilla and baking soda. Mix well.
Add the beaten eggs and mix until they're thoroughly mixed in.
Add the crushed pretzels to the dough.
* * * * * * *
TIP ALERT! How to crust pretzels....
TIP ALERT! How to crust pretzels....
Using a ziplock bag, place pretzels in and close the bag. Then using a rolling pin, carefully press it down and then just make short rolls with the rolling pin.
Continue until you have crushed the entire bag. Measure and repeat if you need more for the recipe.
I did about a cup at a time. When I figured I had enough and measured the two cups, the little bit I had leftover, I just put in a small bowl and ate with a spoon.
* * * * * * *
Add the flour about one cup at a time and mix well after each addition.
Add the chocolate chips on the lowest speed.
Drop by rounded teaspoon (I use my small scoop.) onto greased cookie sheet.
Place 12 cookies on each standard sized sheet.
Bake the cookies in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 10 - 12 minutes or until nicely browned. (I used the full 12 minutes.)
Cool 10 minutes on the cookie sheet before moving them to a wire rack to cool.
Now it is time to start taking down the fall decorations. Hard to believe the year is almost over.
BREAKING NEWS!!!! My husband just told me it is snowing. It is snowing! The weatherman said northern MO might get a little but I didn't think we would. My husband thinks it might snow an inch or two. It has been cloudy looking like it might snow most of the day. Makes it easier to start decorating for Christmas. Our neighborhood has been decorating for over a week. Will let you know if we get any measurable amount.
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