• 3/4 cup sugar

• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar

• 1 cup butter, softened

• 2 large eggs,beaten

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

• if desired, 1 cup chopped pecans, or chopped walnuts

Or

1 cup (2 sticks) (226 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated white sugar

3/4 cup (160 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 1/4 cups (295 grams) all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups (270 grams) semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup (100 grams) walnuts or pecans, coarsely chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix sugar, brown sugar, butter, vanilla and eggs in a large
bowl by hand. Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt. The dough will be very stiff. You can even
use a Kitchen Aid mixer for this first step. I use the batter attachment and mix on a lower
setting. Just be sure that the dough is well mixed before moving on. Stir in chocolate chips
by hand. You'll need to use a sturdy wooden spoon for this and a bit of muscle. You can add
the pecans, or other nuts, at this time if desired. Keep stirring and folding the chocolate
chips and nuts into the dough until they are evenly dispersed. Drop dough by rounded
tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. The chocolate chip cookies need
to be this far apart because the dough spreads during cooking. No one wants to cut the
cookies apart after baking. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light brown. You may even think
that the chocolate chip cookies are underdone, but they will finish cooking through out of
the oven. If you leave them in too long, the cookies will be tough or crispy. The centers will
be soft. Let cool completely then remove from cookie sheet. I use a flat spatula to remove
the cookies from the sheet. It helps to get them off quickly. If you try to remove the cookies
while they are still warm, the chocolate chips are still very soft and this can cause a very big
mess as well as messy looking cookies.

• 3/4 cup butter, softened

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 cups all purpose flour

Shortbread Cookie Recipe Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix butter and sugar in large bowl.  Stir in flour.  If dough is
crumbly, mix in an additional 1 to 2 tablespoons of softened butter.

Roll dough to 1/2 inch thickness and cut dough with cookie cutters into desired shapes.  The
dough can even be cut with a knife into wedges or strips for interesting designs.  Bake about
20 minutes or until set.  Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Vanilla Cupcakes:

1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

2/3 cup (130 grams) granulated white sugar

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Zest of 1 large lemon (outer yellow skin)

1 1/2 cups (195 grams) all purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup (60 ml) milk

Buttercream Frosting:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and
fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract and
lemon zest. 

In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and milk, in three additions, beginning
and ending with the flour. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Evenly fill the muffin cups with the batter and bake for about 17-20 minutes or just until set and a
toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. (Do not over bake or the cupcakes will be dry.)
Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, frost
with icing. If you want flat topped cupcakes then slice off the dome of each cupcake, with a sharp
knife, before frosting. If you want to pipe the frosting, I like to use a large Wilton 1M star decorating tip.
Cupcakes are best eaten the same day they are made, but they can be covered and stored for a few
days.

Buttercream Frosting: In an electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, cream the butter until smooth and
well blended. Add the vanilla extract. With the mixer on low speed, gradually beat in the sugar. Scrape
down the sides of the bowl. Add the milk and beat on high speed until frosting is light and fluffy (about
3-4 minutes). Add a little more milk or sugar, if needed. Tint the frosting with desired food color (I use
the paste food coloring that is available at cake decorating stores and party stores).