Chocolate cookies dipped in hot chocolate or milk. A classic.

Who WOULDN'T like chocolate cookies? Even if it's not your favorite flavor practically every one likes chocolate and that's why this page is a near guarantee for deluxe sweet gift ideas that will delight your mom, grandma, girlfriend, boyfriend or whoever that special person is you're thinking about right now.

You could devote an entire website to this traditional treat, but here are a few recipes you can try. I've included an easy recipe too, but have fun with the unique ones.

Try one out on grandma or your child's 3rd grade teacher. Make a batch of chocolate cookies with your son or daughter, make them feel special that they lent a helping hand in creating their own masterpiece. Find one you particularly like and make it your or your child's signature deluxe sweet gift.

Which will you start with?

These chocolate cookies have both melted chocolate AND whole chips in same cookie!! Yumm! Double trouble! this is an easy recipe to make.

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 6 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350^º Combine flour, baking powder and salt and set aside. Melt 1 cup of the chocolate chips on low heat. Cream the butter, vanilla and white sugar and add to the melted chips. Beat in eggs. Add the flour mixture and the rest of the chips. Make small balls, roll in powdered sugar and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

This is just filled with taste! Chocolate and peanut butter on both the inside and outside.

• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 (2 oz.) squares unsweetened chocolate
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter or shortening
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 1/2 cup plus 2 T. all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda

For the garnish:

• 3/4 cup finely chopped peanuts
• 36 miniature Peanut Butter Cups, frozen and unwrapped
• 1 cup peanut butter baking chips
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine chocolate in bowl and microwave at 50 percent for about 2 minutes; stir and repeat until smooth and melted. Cool slightly. Combine sugar and butter or shortening in large bowl. Beat at medium speed with electric mixer until blended and crumbly. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then salt and vanilla.

Reduce speed to low. Add chocolate slowly. Mix until well blended. Stir in flour and soda with spoon until well blended. Shape dough into 1 1/4 inch balls. Roll in chopped peanuts. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until set. Press a frozen peanut butter cup into the center of each cookie immediately upon removing them from the oven. Let cool. Melt the peanut butter chips and drizzle back and forth over the cookies using a plastic bag with a little snip off the corner. Now do the same with the chocolate, only drizzling at another angle from the peanut drizzle.

Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Peppermint Cookies

Two different tastes together in the same deluxe sweet make for one good treat. If you haven't tried chocolate and peppermint you've got to try it!

• 1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup cocoa
• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate morsels
• 3/4 cup coarsely crushed peppermint candy (about 8 large candy canes)

Directions

Beat butter and shortening at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add sugars, beating well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Combine flour and next 3 dry ingredients; add to butter mixture, beating until blended. Fold in chocolate morsels and crushed peppermint candy; drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls, 3 inches apart, onto lightly greased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 12 to 14 minutes (do not overbake). Transfer to wire racks to cool. Yum!!

Makes 2½ dozen

Other Chocolate Cookies Recipes

• Peppermint Chocolate Cookies
  - with homemade peppermint frosting and candy bits

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