I know what you’re thinking…

Jen, you just said that your February goal is to cut down on added sugars and now you’re about to dedicate an entire post to sweets and treats.  What’s up with that???

 

Great question!  That warrants some explanation for sure.

 

Explanation Number One…

Free Yogurt!!!

 

 

I just couldn’t pass up free Yogurtland FroYo and toppings this afternoon.  The BOY and I were there shortly after 4:00pm with all of the high school students which totally made me laugh.

 

 

Luckily, we both went to the gym this morning because I filled my cup to the brim with chocolate, red velvet, and frappe FroYo. 

 

 

 

I barely had any room to add toppings, but went for it anyways because I just couldn’t walk past the cookie dough bites without adding them to the mix.  They ended up spilling over the edge, but a few actually stuck to the top.

 

 

Along with our free yogurt, we got a coupon for our next visit, so I am sure the BOY and I will be heading back again soon. Let’s be honest, we’ve been three times since they opened this year.  Since I knew we were having yogurt for dinner (its been on our calendar for weeks), we are having a light Monday night dinner of Taco Soup.

 

 

 

Which leads me to

Explanation Number Two…

Leftovers!!!

 

I’ve had this bag of mini M&M’s hanging around the house since the holidays (along with a lot of other leftover goodies).  Recently the BOY has had his eyes on them, so I knew that I needed a reason to bake.

 

 

Which is why I volunteered to make dessert for an upcoming Valentine’s celebration at work.  Since we will be out of town next weekend, I wanted to start baking today.  Just to be clear, the plan is to bake these cookies, share a few, and then store the rest in the freezer until next week.

 

 

I knew that these M&M’s would be perfect for cookies, and so I went to my blogger friend Sally’s website and used her Amazing Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe as the base of these cookies.

 

 

 

Sally’s White Chocolate Chip Cranberry Cookies were such a huge hit in this house that the BOY is still talking about them, and they use a similar recipe.  Since I also had a few mini chocolate chips leftover, I added those to the dough along with my M&M’s.

 

 

It is important to chill the dough before baking, during which time I feel it is also important to sample a taste of this incredible dough!

 

 

 

 

These cookies bake up beautifully!  And I love the mini chocolate chips combined with the colorful M&M’s!  But there is nothing MINI about the taste of these cookies.

 

 

 

Sally REALLY knows her cookies, and these soft and chewy ones do NOT disappoint!

 

 

I can’t wait to serve these at our party!

 

 

 

I just hope that the BOY doesn’t find them hiding in the freezer because then there won’t be any left : ) 

 

 

I have a few more leftover chips and candies that I’d love to clean out of the pantry, so consider yourself warned that there will be more sweets to come.  But because I am continuing to focus on a clean diet this month with sweets in moderation, the plan is for these cookies to be shared not inhaled, and so far that is exactly what has happened.  But let’s be real, they really are WAY TOO GOOD not get some face time on the blog.

 

 

 

Mini M&M and Chocolate Chip Cookies

Adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction

 

Ingredients

3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

3/4 cup dark brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

1 large egg, at room temperature

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup mini M&M’s

 

Directions

Line an ungreased cookie sheet with parchment paper or silpat. Set aside.

In a large bowl using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars together on medium speed until fluffy and light in color. Mix in egg and vanilla.  Scrape down the sides as needed.  On low speed, mix in flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt.  Stir in chocolate chips and M&M’s. Chill for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350F.

Drop 1 Tbsp balls of dough onto cookie sheet OR used a standard-sized cookie scoop. Bake for 8-9 minutes, until barely golden brown around the edges.  Do NOT cook them longer than 10 minutes.   Remove and let cool for 3 minutes on the cookie sheet.  Transfer to cooling rack.

Store in airtight container or freeze.

 

 

Did anyone else go to Yogurtland today?