Cooking corner: cheesecake toffee drop cookies

By VIRGINIA OSELLA

I was working as a nanny last summer and I picked up a couple of cookbooks when I brought the kids to the library. One of them was called Small-Batch Baking, and it was full of recipes for mini cakes and pies (cute, but requiring special equipment) and small batches of muffins and cookies.

I liked the idea of making just six or so, because I can’t (or at least I shouldn’t) finish three-dozen cookies by myself.

One afternoon, I decided to make this recipe, and it came out great. The cookies were perfectly chewy and the cream cheese and Heath bar were a great flavor combo.

It is strange working with such small amounts of ingredients, so make sure to measure carefully. For the egg, beat one egg in a bowl, measure a teaspoon for the recipe and save the rest in the fridge for scrambled eggs or another recipe.

When working with the wet ingredients and the finished dough, make sure to scrape the spoons and the bowl thoroughly, because every bit counts.

This recipe makes six large cookies, the perfect amount for you and your roommates.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup flour
1/8 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tbs cream cheese, at room temp
1 tbs unsalted butter, at room temp
1 tsp well-beaten egg or egg substitute
¼ tsp vanilla extract
¼ cup chopped Heath bar

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 300

Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl and blend well.

Place the brown sugar, cream cheese, and butter in a separate mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth.

Add the egg and vanilla and beat on medium speed until the dough is lighter in texture, about 20 seconds.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the flour mixture. Beat on low-speed just until the dry ingredients are blended in. Stir in the toffee pieces.

Drop the cookie batter by rounded tablespoonfuls onto the baking sheet 2 inches apart. Bake until the cookies appear dry and are golden, 20 to 25 minutes.

Remove the cookies from the baking sheet immediately and transfer to a piece of wax paper on a wire rack.