The Perfect Cookie Base - Peanut Butter Cup Reeses Pieces Cookies

I make way too many cookies. I feel like there's always a batch going into the oven for something. A quick batch for Ryan's Sunday School class, a batch for our Primary visits, a batch for a playdate or playgroup, a batch for the blog, a batch for Ryan's lunches, a batch for an activity, a batch to make up for the botched batch I made while recipe-testing the day before, a batch for ward council, or a batch just for fun with my little man. This was all just within the past month. If you stop by my house and ask for cookies, I'm 90% sure we'll have cookies in a tupperware begging to be eaten. We make a lot of desserts, but most of them are going straight out the door and away from my sweet tooth! 

This also means that I get to test and try out lots of different cookie recipes. Some have failed miserably - and it was frustrating, because they were from blogs I love and adore! Maybe I just screwed up the recipe while making it? Either way, I have had my fair share of trying out a bunch of them, and this one for the past 4 batches has been my go-to. Why? It's a secret WINNING recipe I've tried to keep under wraps. Until now... 

I've tried this recipe with all kinds of add-ins, and each time the cookies have come out perfectly. I've even tried it with different extracts (played around with even maple syrup in the place of vanilla - worked great!). The cookies come out nice and round without a special cookie scoop, they stay soft for days, they taste incredible, and the ingredients are all probably in your pantry right. now. 

This batch of cookies I made with my niece and nephew. I gave them the choice between mini Reeses pieces or mini Reeses peanut butter cups. Their eyes lit up when I said we could use BOTH in the cookies. I think I was their favorite Aunt for the day! 

So if you have anything coming up where you need a batch of cookies, use this recipe. It will save you! 

The Perfect Cookie Base

makes 2 dozen cookies

ingredients:

2 C all-purpose flour

1 T cornstarch

1 t baking soda

3/4 t kosher salt

3/4 C butter, room temperature

3/4 C brown sugar

1/2 C granulated sugar 

1 egg

1 T vanilla (or 1 T maple syrup)

1 1/2 C whatever candy or chocolate chips you'd like 

method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prep cookie sheets with parchment paper. Set aside. 

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream together butter and both sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. 

3. Meanwhile, while the butter and sugar are creaming together, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl. Set aside. 

4. Back to the creamed ingredients. On medium speed, add in vanilla and egg. Mix until incorporated, and scrape down the sides if needed. 

5. Bring mixer to a low speed and slowly add in dry ingredient mixture until just combined. Toss in whatever add-ins you're using (candy, chocolate chips, etc), and stir until evenly distributed. 

6. Roll dough into 2 Tablespoons-worth balls and place 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 9 minutes, and then remove from oven. They should look a little underdone, but it's okay. Let cook on cookie sheet for about a minute, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Eat a few while they're still warm :) 

7. Store in an airtight container with a slice of bread. (they should still be moist and soft without the bread for a couple days). 

Recipe adapted from: Cookies & Cups, who adapted it from The Food Network