Cookie Challenge 2011: Ginger Spice Cookies

Ginger Spice Cookies

Ingredients

4 c all-purpose flour (add 1/3c for over 5000 ft altitude)

½ tsp salt

½ tsp nutmeg

2 tsp baking soda (1 ¾ tsp for over 5000 ft altitude)

1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground ginger

1 c granulated sugar

1 c packed brown sugar

1 c butter (or margarine) at room temperature, cut into cubes

2 large eggs

1 TBS vanilla extract

4 TBS chopped crystallized ginger

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, nutmeg, baking soda, cinnamon, and ground ginger. In a different mixing bowl, add the sugar, brown sugar and butter. With an electric mixer, beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time until well incorporated. Scrape the bottom of the mixing bowl with a rubber spatula, add the vanilla extract and the crystallized ginger and mix well. Once the wet ingredients are incorporated, add the flour mixture in batches. Mix until the dough begins to form into a ball. Using an ice cream scoop, place the dough onto 2 parchment-lined sheet pans about 2 inches apart. Press the dough with the back of a spoon. Bake for 12 to 13 minutes. When the cookies are done, transfer them to a wire rack to cool.

High Altitude Chocolate Chip Bacon Cookies

So I will start of this entry with stating the fact that I don't like bacon... so then why on earth would i make a cookie that I wouldn't eat??  Because I take requests and like challenges! :)  So when my neighbors, Wendy and J said how about bacon in a cookie... with chocolate... I thought that sounds like a great challenge!  Knowing that there has been a trend of chocolate and bacon things recently I thought okay why not!  Should be simple enough... take my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe and add some bacon!  Please note, I used actual, real bacon... not turkey bacon, not bacon bits but the real stuff!  So bacon aficionados.... ENJOY!!!

 ** if you are not at an altitude of 4000 ft or higher just use a basic chocolate chip cookie recipe as a base**

Ingredients

1 c butter or margarine

1 c white sugar

1 c packed brown sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

3 1/2 c all-purpose flour

16 oz (1 bag) semisweet chocolate chips

2 ½ lbs of bacon, cooked/baked crispy and then crumbled

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a large bowl, stir together the butter, white sugar and brown sugar until smooth. Mix in eggs one at a time, and then stir in the vanilla.

Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; stir into the batter just until blended, then mix in the chocolate chips so they are evenly distributed. Finally mix in bacon (cooled and crumbled).

Drop cookies by heaping teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets spacing 2 inches apart.

Bake in the preheated oven until the edges begin to turn golden, 11 to 14 minutes.

Allow cookies to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheets before removing to wire racks to cool completely.