"Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing. " -Helen Keller

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

SHOW AND TELL: how to cheat...(recipe clarification)

...in the kitchen. I love to bake from scratch but there are times when I want to crank some cookies out quickly. The best cookie cheat is making them from cake mix. Yes, that's right. You can make cookies from cake mix. All you need are two boxes of cake mix, 2 lg eggs, and a cup of butter or margarine, softened. The little helper is optional. Gabe and I made Red Velvet Chocolate Chip cookies the other day and they were wonderful.

Just dump it all in the mixing bowl and stir it up.

Drop it by the spoonful on an ungreased cookie tray.

Bake them for 10 to 12 minutes at 350 degrees. While they are baking, let your helper clean up for you. And, once they have finished baking, cool cookies on a wire rack.

With this wonderful little cheat, you can turn out 4 to 5 dozen cookies in under an hour.

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Another great option is using spice cake and raisins.

To make peanut butter cookies, substitute a cup of peanut butter for the butter and add an extra egg.
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To see what everyone else in class is bringing to SHOW AND TELL, take a trip to visit the Miss Mel, Goddess of the Infertility Blogosphere.

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You absolutely can cut the primary recipe in half - 1 box, 1 egg, 1/2 cup butter. Also, if you only wanted to make half the peanut butter cookie recipe, you could use 1 box yellow cake mix, 1 egg, 1/2 cup peanut butter, and 1/4 cup water. The extra egg added to the peanut butter cookie version is there more for moisture than anything else.

41 comments:

Wishing 4 One said...

OMG who would a thought! Cookies from cake mix? I will so be trying this. Can you send me your little helper, all i got is kitties over here, LOL!

My word verification is nononnab.

Could be loosely translated into English from Egyptian Arabic to nabbing your little one.

nono- slang for baby (think more noonoo)
nab- well nabbing/borrowing him, LOL how our IF minds work I swear!

Delenn said...

See, this is why I love your show & tells--I actually LEARN something! Loved the pictures, glad you had a little helper!

Tina said...

I love the cheating advice for baking cookies. I tend to shy away from making them from scratch cause it takes too long!!! What a great idea!

Thank you so much for your sweet thoughts over on my blog. I love ICLW!!!!!

I read your history, and I just wanted to tell you that I think you are amazingly strong! Have a great week!

Tina
ICLW

Baby Smiling In Back Seat said...

Fascinating! I assume that you judge the baking time based on how cooked they appear, since you don't have a set baking time?

Echloe said...

Thanks for the tip. I had no idea you could make cookies from cake mix. Those look so yummy.

Vintage Mommy said...

Funny you posted about making cookies. I actually made cookies from scratch this week which I never do except at Christmas. They were quite tasty!

Love the photos of your little boy.

aimeemax said...

Yum, I never knew you could make cookies from cake mix! I'm like you though, usually a from-scratch person but Betty Crocker rocks when you're in a hurry.

Can you post some cookies my way ;)

sassy said...

Yum!!

♥.Trish.♥ Drumboys said...

Yum and what a great cheat idea .
ICLW Thanks for visiting me

Nina said...

Oooh, fun!! I tend to be my own little helper, though. I'm a determined beater/bowl licker. I had to share them with my brother and sister when I was a kid, so now they're MINE, ALL MINE! For a few more years, anyway.

JB - A.K.A. Jenn said...

Okay.....1. YUMMMY...2. Absolutely LOVE Gabe's face (um you think he got into the cookies?) 3. What a fabulous cheat idea- I will so have to try that out and pass it on!

You are AWESOME!!!

Jenn said...

Ooooh I am so glad you posted that! We are going to make those today! Thank you!

..al said...

Hmmm...I can get the cake mix, but from where would I get the little helper?

Yumm...the closest though I get to cookies (or biscuits as I normally call them), is to go buy some and eat.

Happy ICLW!

calliope said...

ooooooooooh yum!!!
I always fail at cake cheats- but this I may have to try. of course I want to shorten the recipe so I am already on a path of disaster. heh

Kerri said...

Wow! I'm impressed by your innovativeness in the kitchen. This is something I will definitely try- I'm always craving sweets (even when not pregnant).
-ICLW

cowboyboot lady said...

What a great idea! I'm gonna try it!

daega99 said...

Hi! Thanks for visiting my blog!

Now I want cookies..... yum!

ICLW #53

Shelly- Mom Files said...

wow! I heard this somewhere before but never tried it. Gabe is just so cute :) This looks like something fun for my girls to make.

Amy said...

What a great idea! Looks so easy and delicious. Yummy

Anonymous said...

Hmmm...I'm kind of thinking that the little helper is NOT optional, actually...he's looking like the yummiest part (though the cookies are looking pretty good, too!)

Michelle said...

I just read this some where else too! It sounds great and easy! Just my style.

Beautiful Mess said...

I didn't kn ow you could do THAT! Oh how cool! Thanks for the tip, hon! I love the smile of Gabe's face. He approved!
*HUGS*

Barefoot said...

Yum! Love the smooshy red velvet cake face. :)

Anonymous said...

Those cookies look fantastic!! Thanks so much for stopping by my blog, I wish to returna virtual hug back to you. Love, Fran

*ICLW*

BB said...

Thank you for your wishes! That is a great recipe... thanks for sharing!

IF Optimist, then... said...

What a fabootremendous idea. I never thought of that. BTW-I think Gabe and I eat cookies in a very similar manner. I used to say "vitamins are absorbed better via the skin."

Cara said...

See, I told you you knew everything. Maybe someday you'll believe it!

my hope my faith my love said...

I am totally going to m ake these, Thanks for sharing!

FET Accompli said...

Thanks for stopping by my blog. You are so creative! That's really neat to make cookies out of cake mix.

And: You got it!

The Steadfast Warrior said...

What a great cheat. Gabe is so darn cute. Looks like he enjoyed his baking session thoroughly! :)

Soralis said...

Cool! I am going to have to try that one day (when it's cooler)

Looks like Gabe enjoyed them!

kate said...

Cool! I've never heard of doing that before. Looks interesting. I'll have to try it someday

Fat Chick said...

That is really cool. I would never have thought of that.


And that picture of Gabe is darling!

Grown in My Heart said...

Yummy! I've made lemon,and chocolate this way..hadn't thought about red velvet...great idea!!!

Anonymous said...

can i use 1 box cake mix 1/2 cup butter and 1 egg or does it have to be what you said. i understand the peanut butter would have to be what you said cuz what is half an egg...lol just curious...might try it this weekend

Jen said...

I cheat like that all the time...no one ever knows

areyoukiddingme said...

Yummy! Can you send me some?

areyoukiddingme said...

Although, I might add some frosting...

cheryllookingforward said...

This is such an awesome idea! Thanks for sharing it!

Carrie27 said...

Totally my kind of cooking. Those look yummy!

niobe said...

You are sooo brilliant! This is the best idea I've heard all week.