The secret to making "The Best Cookies" better.

I finally made what New York Times calls the best chocolate chip cookie. I know that you've seen these cookies around the interwebs, but this is yet another post about them.

Yes, they were very very very good. William ate six of them. Don't tell him I told you.

Here's the secret to making them even better: drink with a glass of cold 1% milk in a glass with a striped straw. Bam.

Rather than copy the recipe, I'm just going to link it.

Don't forget the cake and bread flour. And if you feel like eating them today, make them yesterday... the dough has to simmer in the fridge for 24 hours.

Lemon Drop Cookies

I made these cookies for my sweet cousin Emily's baby shower. (Of which I would have loved to share photos, but I forgot my camera that night.)

I absolutely loved baking them. Not only do you get to zest an entire lemon, but you get to grind up lemon drop candies! (Do I sound lame? Well, it's nice to mix things up sometimes, okay?)

Lemon Drop Cookies (via See Jane Cook*)

2 c. sugar

1 1/2 cup butter flavored shortening

3 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. lemon extract

4 c. flour

1 1/2 tsp soda

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp. salt

Finely chopped zest of one lemon

1 (6-oz) package lemon drops (you can find these in the candy aisle at Target or Walgreens)

2 c. powdered sugar

juice of two lemons

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In mixing bowl, cream sugar, shortening, and eggs; add flavorings. Stir in dry ingredients, lemon zest, and crushed lemon drops (I crush them in my blender). Roll into balls, flatten slightly, and bake on parchment lined (if you don't use parchment, cookies will stick to pan) baking sheet for 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool slightly on pan for a couple of minutes. Make a glaze by mixing powdered sugar with lemon juice. Brush glaze over cookie tops. Let cookies cool completely. Makes 4-5 dozen cookies.

*Disclaimer: I know, I know... I use A LOT of recipes from See Jane. But seriously, can you blame me?!

Pumpkin (Whooooopie it's Fall!) Pies

Oh thank you September for coming...

... because that means it's time to start making holiday treats.

Also, thank you Pinterest for guiding me to these Pumpkin cookies. (You too, Marci.)

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Cream Cheese Filling (via dreamydesserts)

Makes 12-14

3 cups AP Flour

1 Tablespoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup Splenda (use could white sugar if you like)

1 cup vegetable oil

1 - 15 oz. can of pumpkin

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat together brown sugar, Splenda, oil and pumpkin. Add eggs one at time, mixing well after each addition, followed by the vanilla. In a separate bowl, shift together the dry ingredients. Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined.

Using a pastry bag with a round tip, or a big zip top plastic bag with one corner snipped, squeeze out concentric circles of batter, starting from the middle and working outward until the circles are about 2 inches in diameter.(I made mine even smaller because I was making them for a bigger group... it made about 30 cookies.) Bake for 11 minutes and cool on a rack.

Cream Cheese Filling

1 - 8 oz. package of cream cheese, softened

1 stick of unsalted butter, room temperature

1 - 16 oz. package of powdered sugar

about a capful of vanilla extract

a pinch of cinnamon (to taste)

Beat together cream cheese and butter. Add powdered sugar, vanilla and cinnamon. Frost flat side of half the pies and top with another piece.

Enjoy right away or chill overnight.

I bought those cups at Ikea and they're the perfect size for little cookies. They hold them so well and look so cute in a cluster.

Oatmeal Coconut Chewies

I'm not sure if I've mentioned before, but my cousin Jane has an amazing food blog called See Jane in the Kitchen. I've used a TON of her recipes, and I've never been disappointed. I'm thinking of trying every single one of her recipes, sort of like a 'Julie and Julia' thing, but call it 'Jenny and Jane'. (And when the movie comes out, Julia Roberts will play Jane and my character will be played by Beyonce.)

Anyway, other than cook every single recipe on Jane's blog, my other goal is to eventually keep my kitchen well-stocked to the point where I can spontaneously cook any recipe I want, whenever I want. I had that experience Sunday night when I decided to make oatmeal-coconut cookies. It was the best feeling ever, knowing I didn't have to plan or even run to the store to get a missing ingredient.

Thanks, Jane, for the idea.

Oatmeal Coconut Chewies (via Mel's Kitchen Cafe)

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 stick butter, room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 cups flour

1 cup shredded, sweetened coconut

1 cup quick oats

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together butter and sugars, eggs and vanilla until fluffy. Add the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Place on greased or parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until cookies are set but not overly brown. For crispier cookies, bake longer.