Variations on a Cookie by Anna Olson....by (Angela) Jean

I've been a fan of Anna Olson for years. I used to watch her show on the Food Network all the time and I have 2 of her cookbooks, 'Sugar' and 'Another Cup of Sugar'.

The recipe I have used the most is from Sugar and is for Chocolate Chip Cookies. It's the best recipe for CCCs I have ever tried and everyone, everyone loves them. They make a chewy cookie (which I love) because they have a little cornstarch in them. That's the secret!

We are going to visit some friends tomorrow and I thought I would bring some cookies with me. These friends are Italians, and amazing cooks so I was a little nervous about what to bring. They've got two little kids, so I think cookies are a safe bet!

I wanted to shake it up a bit so I went to my magical baking cupboard to see what I could find.

Lots of goodies!
I decided to double the recipe and then divide the batter into thirds before adding the chocolate chips.
In one batch I added peanut butter chips and pecans.

In the second batch I added coconut, dried cranberries and white chocolate chips.

For the final batch I stuck with classic chocolate chips.

The kids were eager to help. They love adding the chips.And as an aside, I think the real trick to baking with kids without getting frustrated is preparation. When the kids are going to be involved I set up like I'm on a cooking show (this helps for getting fun photos too). I pre-measure all the ingredients and have them in little bowls or ramekins. That way all the kids have to do is add and stir! Sometimes Amelia helps with the measuring too, but not Otis...he's strictly a 'dumping in' kind of guy.

The kids are now in bed and I'm here staring at 5 dozen cookies. I sure hope they last until the morning...

Oh! Do you want to know which were my favourite?

The pecan and peanut butter chip ones. Deeeeeelish!
Here's the original recipe, but I challenge you to create your own variation masterpieces!

Ingredients

Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 unit egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into chunks

Directions

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Cream together butter and sugars until smooth. Add egg and vanilla and blend in.
3. Stir in flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt. Stir in chocolate chunks.
4. Drop by tablespoons onto a greased baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes, until golden brown around the edges.