Ok, I’ll admit it … I’ve been on a bit of a chocolate/peanut butter binge lately. Unlike the heavenly, yet potentially sugar-coma inducing, Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes, these cookies produce the same dynamic flavor combo yet are lighter and decidedly more snackable.  Consider these cookies the slightly less mature, more rough-around-the-edges younger sibling of the (arguably) elegant cupcakes.

With a crisp outer shell and a chewy center, these can become rather addicting.  Made with oatmeal, whole wheat flour and all-natural peanut butter, the recipe was right up my alley.  The salted peanuts smash right up against semi-sweet chocolate chunks for a true flavor explosion in your mouth.  Get thee to a kitchen, pronto!

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This time of year, the beginning of summer, is usually known as the Era of Competing Interests.  Interest #1: The loads of sweet summery desserts that are practically mandatory for the plethora of upcoming BBQs, picnics, and outdoor parties.  Interest #2: The ability to wear a new bathing suit/tiny summer dress to said BBQ, picnic or party.  These two interests rarely get along and are the cause of many internal battles concerning the exact calorie count in a 1-inch brownie versus the actual calories burned on the elliptical machine.  The mounds of fresh fruit appearing at the grocery stores and farmer’s markets have been known to inject in this debate an intense desires to make berry pies, cobblers and all things representing sticky sweet, summery goodness.

I don’t want to alarm you, but I may have found a solution to this annual occurrence.  How does a sweet, cakey cookie packed with fresh blueberries, lemon zest and toasted almonds sound?  Pretty darn good.  Ok, let’s make this official … Do you, Antioxidant-Packed Blueberry, take you, Fiber-Filled Almond, to be your partner in cookie making magic for summers to come?  They do!!  And now, I introduce you to the results of a marriage made in cookie heaven.

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Sometimes you feel like a nut … sometimes you don’t!  Doesn’t that little jingle bring up images of sweet coconut drenched in chocolate?  I’ve been on a bit of a candy-inspired baking binge lately, and these little guys are no exception!  These coconut macaroons taste just like an Almond Joy.  Seriously.  Just like it!  Except perhaps, with a slightly more gourmet twist.  Plus, if you don’t feel like a nut, you can leave the almonds out and suddenly it a Mounds bar macaroon!

The beautiful thing about these macaroons is how simple they are.  Toast up some coconut and almonds.  Mix in some sweetened condensed milk.  Fold in some whipped egg whites.  Bake.  Drizzle with ridiculous amounts of melted chocolate.  That could be the entire recipe!  I did you the favor of providing slightly more specific instructions below, but you probably won’t need them.

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Unapologetically inspired by the classic movie theater candy, Milk Duds, these two-bite morsels combine a chocolaty cookie shell with a soft caramel center.  Deceptively looking like regular old chocolate cookies, the stream of sweet caramel that flows out when you bite into them is a welcome surprise!

These cookies are ridiculously easy to make.  Almost dangerously easy because you will soon find yourself wanting to make them everyday … at least I do!  When I decided to make a Milk Dud-inspired cookie, I searched around for an appropriate recipe to use for the chocolate shell.  I needed something that would be sturdy enough to hide the soft caramel center, yet soft enough to maintain a cookie-like texture.  Deb’s recipe for brownie roll-out cookies looked perfect.  Soft, pliable dough that could be easily rolled around a caramel while still providing an intense chocolate flavor.

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There are certain recipes that, over time, become your go-to recipes.  Whenever I need a little sweetness or am terrified that the experimental dessert in the oven is going to fail, this is the recipe I whip out.  This is my ultimate go-to cookie recipe.  It is infinitely adaptable and impressively forgiving.  I can’t even being to count how many times I’ve made these or how many variations I’ve created.  Recently, I’ve taken to using 100% whole wheat flour in an effort to maintain my commitment to all things whole grain.  I think it gives them a nice nuttiness that perfectly compliments the oats.  But if whole wheat isn’t your thing, feel free to stick with the all-purpose flour.

Over the years I’ve taken to adding a bit of cinnamon and, when I’m feeling spicy, a little nutmeg to the dry ingredients.  I love the spicy flavors mixed with the chocolate chips and the oatmeal.  The beautiful thing about this recipe is that virtually every ingredient can be swapped out for something else.  Try it with raisins instead of chocolate chips (if you are one of those strange creatures that doesn’t care for chocolate).  Use all-purpose flour and coconut.  Sunflower seeds or salted peanuts instead of the walnuts.  White chocolate chips and macadamia nuts.  You get the idea.

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