Best Cookies Ever - According to my little one at least

I decided that it was about time for me to do the whole mommy and child thing where we make cookies together. This was actually the first time I've made cookies from scratch since I was probably 12 years old (so about 15 years for those of you who don't want to do math :) ), and the first time I've made them with my new son.
Most moms out there have gotten the chance to bond with their children since birth, but I didn't get that same chance. I'm still learning to be a mom and not just an aunt who takes care of the nieces and nephews once in a while. I've only been a real mommy figure for about 2 years so I'm still getting used to the idea and so is he.
In this quest to learn to be a mom, I regularly have to think back to some of the things I used to do with my own mother when I was a child. One of those main things would be cooking. I remember making cookies, fudge, spaghetti, chili and other such things. Comfort food is more than just something that tastes good and warm, but also something that brings on a good memory.
Cookies happen to be one of my favorite memories and I decided that it was a perfect way to bond, do something creative, and teach my son a little something as well as myself.

Chocolate chip, Hazelnut chocolate, cream cheese, Best Cookies Ever
1 Cup Brown sugar (I used a brown sugar substitute)
1 Cup Granulated sugar (I used a sugar substitute)
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Salt
2 Cups All Purpose Whole Wheat flour
2 Large Eggs
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 Cup Butter, softened
1/2 cup Hazelnut Chocolate (Nutella is the same thing just brand named :) )
1/2 cup Light Cream Cheese
First and foremost clean hands. To show them the best way to clean their hands, have them sing the "Happy Birthday Song" two times while washing before rinsing.


Have a medium sized bowl and have the little one that is helping pour the flour, baking soda, and then have them whisk it together to get them well incorporated.

Next have them put the butter and sugar into a big bowl to be creamed together by the adult in charge(unless you know they can handle the mixer and you don't have one like mine that seems to have one speed, very very fast) until the mix is kind of fluffy and looking a lot lighter than it did to begin with. Using anything that will work, have them help scrape the sides of the bowl to get the sugary butter all into the middle.

Have the little one crack one egg at a time into the bowl and mix well before adding the next. After both eggs have made it into the mixture have the little one add in the vanilla extract and the hazelnut chocolate. Now you may need to show them how to use a plastic spatula to twist around in your measuring cup so as to get all the hazelnut chocolate mixture out and into the bowl and not somehow flying across the room (I almost had a really messy mess to clean up!). Then of course show the spoon scrape method to make sure the spatula is clean and all of it makes it into the bowl. The cream cheese should just dump right in. Mix again till smooth.

Now is when you have them pour half of the flour/baking soda mix into the big bowl and mix till just incorporated (about 30 seconds tops), then add in the rest and do the same. Now you don't need the mixer anymore but what needs to be done is beaters must come out and be set on a small saucer for later to be licked clean along with any other utensils that have been used in the most recent mixture (knives or anything sharp or poky not included of course! :) ).

Have them pour in the chocolate chips and show the folding method of under and over to incorporate the chocolate chips. After the chips are in there, cover well and put in the fridge for a couple of hours (I cooked these in two batches, freezing for one hour then refrigerating one more hour before baking half of it. The other half of the dough stayed in the fridge over night and was cooked the next afternoon).

Pre-heat oven to 375F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll dough into balls then smoosh down to make flat round cookies (I tried just dropping them but they didn't really spread out unfortunately). Bake 10-12 minutes or until when you touch them they are slightly crisp on top but not super soft in the middle. Make sure to turn the pan half way through baking time to get them cooked evenly. Let cool about 5 minutes.


Now I suggest a glass of milk with these, be it soy, cow, or goat milk, it really doesn't matter as long as it's cold and you can dip your cookie into the glass. The little one said when licking the beaters and the spatula that they were " The best ever cookies. They taste like my favorite ice cream!" To me this is a major compliment and should be taken as one coming from my semi picky eater. The hubby has had a few of them by now and said they would be good even with out the chocolate chips which also is a great compliment to any mom (he can also be a picky eater, you should see me battle tomato with him).

As a new mom of a 9 year old I'm more than willing to take any advice from other people who know a good food to cook with a little one, and if anyone has any ideas feel free to share!