Baking with milk chocolate

Sunday, February 14, 2016
I'm convinced there are some items that packaged goods companies put in stores specifically to trick the occasional shopper who doesn't know any better. One of those products is milk chocolate chips.

I'm the one who buys most of the groceries, but on occasion Andrew takes a list and does the shopping. And whenever I ask him to buy chocolate chips, he comes home with a bag of milk chocolate chips. (It wouldn't occur to me to write "semi-sweet chocolate chips" on a shopping list, just like it wouldn't occur to him that there's a difference.)

It's a first-world problem, obviously. But for those of you who bake, you'll know milk chocolate is best used in chocolate bars. It's really too sweet to be used in baking (where semi-sweet and dark reign). Why would anyone create a product like milk chocolate chips, other than to confuse occasional shoppers and force their spouses to buy a second bag?

So I went looking for a recipe that actually called for milk chocolate chips, and I found this winner. These are perfect for Valentine's Day, or any day when a chocolate overload is desired. The cocoa in the recipe helps tone down the sweetness, and every bite is loaded with three kinds of chocolate.

So the next time Andrew shows up with milk chocolate chips, I know exactly what to bake. Of course, the last time he offered to go to the grocery store, I wised up and specifically requested semi-sweet chips. Unfortunately, it didn't occur to me to specify what size, which is why he returned with a 2 kilogram (5 pound) bag of semi-sweet chips.

Looks like I've got a few rounds of these cookies in my near future.

Triple Chocolate Cookies

(Adapted from Add a Pinch)

Ingredients
1 1/3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup (4 Tbsp) butter, softened
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup milk chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Place semisweet chocolate chips and 2 Tbsp butter in saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir until melted. Remove from heat and cool completely.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and cocoa in a small bowl and set aside.

Place sugar and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each addition. Add vanilla.

Turn mixer speed up to medium-high and beat until pale, light, and fluffy, about 7-10 minutes. Turn off mixer and slowly stir in cooled melted chocolate. Stir in dry mixture until combined, then stir in milk chocolate chips.

Drop tablespoon scoops of cookie batter onto baking sheets, leaving 3 inches between cookies to allow them to spread.

Place in preheated oven and bake 12-15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely before removing from the baking sheet. (They're fragile while warm, so let them cool completely before moving.)

What a 2 kg bag of chocolate chips looks like.
(See egg for scale.)



33 comments:

Kathy said...

These cookies look luscious! I really need to bake some.
Whenever I send my hubby to the store for anything...if it's on sale he will by more than what we need. And if I don't specify, God only knows what he will come home with.

Beth said...

I'm always grateful when Andrew gets the groceries. But sometimes it means I need to be a little creative in the kitchen!

Bonnie said...

Yes, We must be specific when handing over the grocery list. Love your post and the recipe. I hope you had a great weekend.

Marcelle said...

I wish I could eat one of those cookies right now! They look delicious. I often have a kitchen adventure when I send my husband to the store without a specific list too. :)

Stephen Tremp said...

Hi Beth, we've been trying to make the switch from milk chocolate to dark chocolate but it's been a struggle. Just can't beat a cookie with milk chocolate chips fresh out of the oven with a cold glass of milk!

That Girl said...

I have a bag in my pantry, but for the life of me, I can't recall why I bought them.

That Girl said...

I have a bag in my pantry, but for the life of me, I can't recall why I bought them.

Natalie Aguirre said...

Okay, I must try this soon. Maybe next weekend. Thanks.

Amy said...

These cookies look scrumptious!

Cheri Savory Spoon said...

Hi Beth, had a little chuckle reading this post, similar experiences i suppose. Love these cookies, they look perfectly baked.

Summer said...

These cooks look so enticing! Love how they turned out ♥

summerdaisy.net

grace said...

i can't think of a time when i actually intentionally bought milk chocolate chips! these sound pretty tasty though--way to turn what could've been a regrettable situation into something fantastic!

Tricia Buice said...

We do love milk chocolate chips but mostly for snacking and topping on homemade toffee. But our guys do need specific direction when given such a task - haha. Have a great week - the cookies look wonderful.

Unknown said...

My mom doesn't like dark chocolate, so she would love these cookies. My dad often goes to the grocery for me and has made many mistakes. This weekend I wrote vinegar on the list and he bought both white and apple cider because he didn't know which I meant :)

Angie's Recipes said...

Time for me to bake some chocolate cookies too! They look really great, Beth.

Cathleen said...

I just ran out of chocolate chips. These cookies look delicious! Must go to the store and buy more chocolate chips!

Jemi Fraser said...

That's so funny! I always buy the dark chips but hubby did the same thing to me one day - now I know what to do with them!! :)

Liz That Skinny Chick Can Bake said...

I get numerous phone calls from Bill when I send him out to the grocery store with a list. He has the chocolate chips down, but I can see him being tempted by a huge bag! Your cookies look marvelous!

Monica said...

I have to be *very* specific if I send my husband to the supermarket (it rarely happens anymore these days) so I understand. I think you made great use of the milk choc chips for these cookies; I imagine a good dose of espresso powder would be welcome here, too. I do chop up milk choc to make cookies for my husband who has been preferring it lately but I haven't bought straight milk choc chips...maybe I should try! : )

DMS said...

I made that mistake when I went shopping for my mom once growing up. I learned the difference though and think it is awesome that you found the perfect recipe for those sweet chips. :)
~Jess

Kitchen Riffs said...

I always thought milk chocolate chips were for snacks. :-) Anyway, this is a wonderful -- tons of flavor in this. And you've given me a new goal -- I don't think I've ever seen a bag of chocolate chips as big as 2 kilograms! Gotta find one just to see what it looks like. :-)

Gloria Baker said...

Love these Beth look absolutely delicious!!! xoxo

handmade by amalia said...

Oh Beth! I could really really eat a cookie right now.
Amalia
xo

Katerina said...

If I send my husband to the s/m he will return with all the wrong things haha! I think you found a new recipe for cookies one that works too!

Cakelaw said...

These look fabulous - a real winner for any time.

Andrea_TheKitchenLioness said...

Beth, got to give this recipe a try - you convinced me. Your cookies look like exactly the kind of cookies my darling kids would adore. And I do happen to have some very good milk chocolate in my cupboard...Hilariuos post and fabulous recipe!
Have a great weekend,
Andrea

Inger @ Art of Natural Living said...

I almost grabbed a bag of milk chocolate chips by accident myself last week. Good to have some options!

Inger @ Art of Natural Living said...

I should add that if I send my husband for 3 items, he will call me (at least) 3 times...

Julie said...

Had to laugh about the grocery list and your hubby. Same here, I've gotten very specific when I send him with a list. It's usually a short list, so sometimes I text a picture. The cookies look delicious!!!

lisa is cooking said...

Too funny! But, what a great use of the milk chocolate chips. And, a great treat for Valentine's Day.

Unknown said...

oh! hahaha! love the grocery list ! :D cookies looks amazing, Beth!

Karen (Back Road Journal) said...

Well with 5 pounds of chocolate chips, I do believe you will be eating lots of chocolate cookies. In case my husband gets milk chocolate chips for me, I'll certainly have a nice recipe to try. :D

Unknown said...

I've learned the hard way that is of no use to send my husband shopping for food, he never gets it right... Like never ever! No matter how detailed the list. But these cookies look so good, it's not so bad that your husband bought the wrong chocolate.

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