Ultimate Cookies and Hot Chocolate Box

What would you do if someone showed up at your door holding this box of cookies & hot chocolate?

Would you jump for joy? Would you laugh? Maybe cry? Melt into a puddle of drool?…Personally, I would probably do a combination of all four of those things before promptly inviting whoever it was that had brought me this little box of homemade joy inside to enjoy it with me – Because I mean honestly, what could be better than sharing a box of delicious homemade cookies and hot chocolate with someone?

In fact, that very scenario is actually kind of my idea of perfection; honest, genuine, sweet & simple, perfection…

Finding joy in the simplicity of something like homemade cookies and hot chocolate is something I think we could probably all stand to have a little more of. It’s so easy for us all to get wrapped up in the roller coaster of our day to day lives; to forget about the things that matter most.

The only thing I love more than baking itself – is getting to share what I bake with others. Sharing that inspiration, creativity and sheer joy that comes from something as simple yet utterly delicious as a warm homemade chocolate chip cookie just makes me downright giddy inside. I can’t hide it. The idea that I can maybe make someones day just a little bit better with a cookie gets me all hopped up and feeling warm and fuzzy inside.

Homemade baking is meant to be shared – that’s how I feel about it anyways. So this collaborative homemade cookie box was dreamed up with my new friend Kelsey from just that philosophy. This past weekend we got together to collaborate on the ultimate rustic, homemade cookie box, and I don’t think either of us could have been more overjoyed with out it turned out.

So if this blog post maybe inspires you to put together a box of homemade cookies, bring it to someone you love, and share it with them; share something delicious; share in a memory; share in a conversation; share in laughter; share in love; there is honestly nothing that would make me happier than that.

Scroll down to find the details on the recipes we used if you are feeling up to the challenge and are in need of some inspiration to get you started!

We also put together a Chocolate Chip Cookie tutorial for you, in an effort to answer some of your most common chocolate chip cookie questions, and reveal a few of our baking secrets. So if you are interested, you can have a watch here!

Rustic Homemade Cookies Box

Pan Banger Chocolate Chip Cookies – These is by Sarah Kieffer and you can find it in The Vanilla Bean Baking Book, as well as on Kelsey’s blog here!
Salted Butter & Chocolate Chunk Shortbread – This recipe is by Alison Roman, and you can find it here!
Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies – This recipe is courtesy of Kelsey’s lovely sister
Brownie Crinkle Cookies – Recipe courtesy of The Boy Who Bakes, and you can find the recipe here!
Chocolate Espresso Sandwich Cookies – aka The Defibrillator from @displacedhousewife’s new cookbook!

Classic Peanut Butter Cookies – This is my go to recipe for peanut butter cookies! See below for the full recipe

Classic Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies – Scroll below the PB cookies to find my go to recipe! And check out Kelsey’s Blog for our tips and tricks to the perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie every time!

Homemade Salted Caramel Hot chocolate – Kelsey and I made this together, and you can find the recipe just below the PB cookies!

Classic Peanut Butter Cookies

Things you need…
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

How to make…

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, and peanut butter until smooth. Add sugars and beat until pale and fluffy – about 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of your mixing bowl, add in egg and vanilla; beat until fluffy.

In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt until combined. Add to the bowl of your wet ingredients and beat on low until the dough comes together.

Dump dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap and tightly wrap the dough. Place in the fridge to chill for 1 hour or overnight.

Preheat your oven to 350F degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Remove the dough from the fridge and scoop the dough out onto your prepared baking sheet – about 1 1/2 to 2 tbsp of the dough for each cookie depending on how large you want your cookies. Roll the dough in your hands to form a ball and use a fork to press the cookie down gently in one direction; adust your fork to the opposite direction and gently press to make a crossed design.

Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the edges are just starting to get golden.
**Note: I like to underbake my peanut butter cookies because I like them chewy rather than crispy – so if you want a crispier cookie, just bake them a couple extra minutes until they are a deeper golden colour.

Remove from oven and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Allow to cool for at least five minutes before serving.

Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies

Things you need…
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 egg
2 egg yolks
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
1 tbsp espresso powder
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup pastry flour
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups good quality dark chocolate, roughly chopped

How to make…

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees regular or 325 convection if possible. (Convection is my favourite way to bake cookies) Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugars until pale and creamy. Add in your egg and beat on high until fluffy. Add in your vanilla, and espresso powder; mix on high until combined.

In a small bowl, whisk together flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat on low until it starts to come together; increase the speed and beat until completely combined. Beat in your chopped dark chocolate and mix to combine.

Use a large cookie scoop to portion the dough into large balls – you should end up with about 16. You could also make them smaller to end up with 24.

Bake the cookies 1 pan at a time. Bake for 10-12 minutes (depending on the size) or until the edges are golden. If your cookies are a little underbaked, so don’t worry if the centers don’t look quite set, they will continue to cook once you remove them from the oven and just be soft, chewy, delicious!

Hot Chocolate recipe below!

Homemade Caramel Hot Chocolate

Things you need…

Salted Caramel Dark Hot Chocolate

2 oz bittersweet or semi sweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 cups milk
2 tbsp salted caramel sauce

Toppings
Whipped cream
Salted caramel sauce
Chocolate curls

How to make…

In a medium sauce pan over medium heat until it just begins to steam. Remove from heat and pour over finely chopped chocolate. Let stand for ten minutes, and then whisk to combine.

Return the pot to the stove over medium low heat and whisk in your caramel sauce. Warm to desired temperature, pour into your favourite mug and serve it up with some whipped cream, a drizzle of caramel, some chocolate curls and preferably with a box of homemade cookies.

Recipe adapted from Kelsey’s Homemade Dark Hot Chocolate