Brownie Cookies

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Brownie Cookies

Brownie Cookies

Every month or so, the irresistible urge to make a pan of brownies creeps into my mind. Often only a day or two passes before the craving turns into a reality. Despite my regular hunger for brownies, I have yet to create a brownie that suits my tastes. Each month I try out a new recipe, finding myself discouraged by the rubbery texture or the lack of chewiness. I have tried the most popular recipes, from names both big and small, only to find disappointment in the pan that emerges from the oven.

Three years and two dozen batches later, I'm still looking for the one.

Brownie Cookies Brownie Cookies

The dirty truth is that I love box mix brownies. I love the crackled top, the chewy texture, and the dense nature of the bars. I love box mix brownies so much that I feel that the homemade version pales in comparison. As a baker, I feel somewhat ashamed to admit these truths, to admit that I cannot match the box when it comes to this criteria (though it isn't for a lack of trying).

Every so often, I sneak a box mix into my red basket at the market, feeling deliciously guilty about my purchase.

Brownie Cookies

When the obligatory brownie craving struck this month, I searched around for another recipe to try. After so many disappointments, I have become wary of homemade brownies, especially those making bold claims of box mix similarities. When my search came up empty handed, I decided to try something completely different. A cookie. And, surprisingly, it worked.

These cookies are the closest I have ever come to the perfect brownie. Dense and endlessly chewy, a handful of cookies disappeared before they completely cooled. Though they may be missing the classic crackled top, I can assure you that it won't be missed. If you are a box mix brownie lover like me, I know you'll love these, too.

Brownie Cookies

Brownie Cookies take the classic pan of brownies and turn them into individual servings. The cookies are made with both melted chocolate and chocolate chips, which lend a deep, satisfying flavor. Brown sugar makes the cookies undeniably chewy—a feature I look for in all of my brownies. The cookies are so good warm and straight out of the oven that they may not survive to see the next day.

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Rhubarb Ginger Bars

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Rhubarb Ginger Bars

Rhubarb Ginger Bars

After a long, exhausting week, the words floating around my mind refuse to make sense. They are mixed and jumbled, forming incoherent sentences and phrases. I fear my brain is telling me to take a break—and tonight I am going to set the computer down and listen. As a result, I am going to do something I have never done before.

I am going to let the photographs tell the story for you.

Rhubarb Ginger Bars Rhubarb Ginger Bars
Rhubarb Ginger Bars Rhubarb Ginger Bars
Rhubarb Ginger Bars
Rhubarb Ginger Bars

Rhubarb Ginger Bars are sweet and tart with a side of spice. Rhubarb is simmered until soft and then blended into a smooth puree. The puree is thickened with egg yolks and cornstarch until it has the texture of a soft and silky rhubarb curd. Baked atop a whole wheat cookie crust, these bars set and cut easily. The hint of ginger adds an undertone to the tart rhubarb. With a dusting of powdered sugar, these bars make for a lovely snack whether they are served warm or chilled.

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Honey Chocolate Chunk Cookies

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Honey Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Honey Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Spring is in the air, graduate school has wrapped up for the spring semester, and the wind carries the feeling of renewal. The next two weeks will be filled with more rest and leisure than I have had in the last four months combined—a welcome break to stretch my limbs and a chance to play around in the kitchen. Even though I have a summer of classes before me (and a graduation date looming on the horizon), the job hunt has already begun.

Reality can never quite escape me completely.

Honey Chocolate Chunk Cookies Honey Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Each job application represents a new road, an unknown path, a concrete possibility in a world filled with dreams. Each application is a window into a potential future, a peak at what my life might become. Even though the process can be arduous, each time I hit the submit button, I take a deep breath as a bright future flashes before me. The moment is brief, but exhilarating. I take a second breath to calm myself down and remind myself not to get my hopes too high. While full of hope and opportunity, job applications can also bring about feelings of rejection and sorrow.

The trick is to keep your head held high, your feet facing forward, and to replace lost dreams with new possibilities. To add new roads to the map of life.

Honey Chocolate Chunk Cookies

My job search has led me down interesting paths, as I send off applications to other states and cities I have never been. It feels a bit like fishing; I have cast my line and now I must hope the fish are biting. As I anxiously awaited replies (or a lack thereof) this weekend, I made a batch of cookies to calm my nerves. Baking has a way of bringing peace into my life, as I mix ingredients by hand and move slowly around the kitchen to make the moment last longer.

While these Honey Chocolate Chunk Cookies will not make time pass faster, they bring about a sweetness that makes the wait much more bearable.

Honey Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Honey Chocolate Chunk Cookies have a coveted soft-baked texture that lasts for days. A classic chocolate chunk cookie batter has a few added tablespoons of honey, which lend a soft flavor and chewy nature to the cookies. The addition of whole wheat flour gives the cookies a nutty undertone. Fresh from the oven, warm with melted chocolate, these cookies are a sweet fantasy.

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