cookies

• In a microwave-safe bowl, melt 1/3 cup chocolate chips in a few short bursts, taking care not to overcook. Stir until smooth. Set aside to cool a smidge.
• Cream butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix in the melted chocolate chips, blending until it forms a consistent brown color. Slowly mix in flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Fold in the chocolate chips.
• Chill dough for at least 2 hours.
• Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Place parchment on baking sheet.
• Scoop the dough using a teaspoon or small scoop, spacing apart. Bake for 9-11 minutes, until set in middle. Let cool on cookie sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to rack.
• Store in a sealed container. Keeps well for at least 3 days.

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• Preheat oven at 375 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter to soften. Add both sugars and beat until fluffy. Add vanilla followed by the eggs one by one.
• In another bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet, scraping the bottom of the bowl to incorporate everything. Fold in the chocolate chips.
• Use a scoop or tablespoon to space out dough on parchment. Bake for 10 to 13 minutes, until they look set and light gold. Let them remain on the pan a few minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.
• Store cookies at room temperature in a sealed container.

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• Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Line a 9×13 pan with aluminum foil. Spray nonstick spray or coat with butter.
• Beat butter in a large bowl. Add vanilla and egg. Add flour, sugar, and espresso powder. Scrape bottom to make sure dough incorporates everything. Fold in 3/4 cup sliced almonds.
• Press dough evenly into the pan. Sprinkle remaining almonds over the top. Gently press in.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned and the middle passes the toothpick test. Cool completely, speeding the process in the fridge, if desired.
• Combine the glaze ingredients, adding more confectioners’ sugar or half & half to reach a thick consistency. Drizzle glaze over the pan. Cool completely, until glaze solidifies.
• Use foil to lift onto a cutting board to slice into bars. Store in a sealed container, using waxed paper between stacked layers.

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Make the dough

• In a large mixing bowl, combine ricotta, sugar, butter, eggs, and vanilla until smooth and creamy.
• In another bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Gradually combine with the wet mixture, scraping the bottom to incorporate everything.
• At this point, the dough can be divided, if desired, to freeze half or all. If baking soon, wrap and chill the dough for about two hours or overnight.
• To begin baking, preheat oven at 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Use a large or small scoop or spoon to dole out dough balls spaced out on cookie sheet. Large cookies will bake in about 15 to 18 minutes; small cookies will need 11 to 13 minutes. The edges should be golden brown. Let cookies sit for about 3 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. Cool completely.

Make the glaze

• Mix confectioners’ sugar, milk, and almond extract until thick and smooth. Use the back of a spoon to spread atop a cookie. Immediately add a pinch of sprinkles. Continue with the rest of the batch.
• Let cookies rest until glaze is set, then transfer to a sealed container. Store at room temperature.

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• Preheat oven at 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a big bowl, cream together butter and both sugars until they are light and fluffy. Add egg and almond extract.
• In another bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet. Fold in the white chocolate chips and almonds.
• Use a cookie scoop or spoon to create dough balls. Space them out on the baking sheet.
• Bake for 8-10 minutes, until cookies look set. Let them rest on the sheet a couple minutes, then transfer them to a rack to fully cool. Store in a sealed container.

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Make the pie crust

• Combine flour and salt. Cut in the cold butter until crumbly. Gradually add in ice water, pausing to mix with hands every so often. Stop adding water when the dough comes together. Shape into a disk and encase in plastic wrap to chill for at least an hour or for a day.

Shape crust

• Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Line a 13×9 pan with foil and apply nonstick spray.
• Lightly flour a clean, flat surface. Roll out dough to roughly fit the pan (hold the pan over the dough to gauge the correct shape). Press dough into pan so that it goes evenly across bottom and up all four sides. Pinch off excess dough and use that to patch and extend elsewhere. It doesn’t need to be pretty, as it will largely be covered by filling.
• Place crust in fridge to chill.

Make filling

• Melt the two sticks of butter in microwave or on stovetop. Set aside to cool.
• In a large bowl, beat together eggs, sugar, and salt, scraping bottom to incorporate. Stir in flour, melted butter, and vanilla. Fold in the chocolate chips.
• Pour filling into chilled crust. Sprinkle pecans all over top.
• Cover top loosely with foil. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil. Bake another 30 minutes. Check for doneness; the pie is done when the top is golden and a butter knife tip inserted in the middle comes out clean. Pie may need as much as 15 more minutes to finish baking, meaning the total baking time can range from 50 to 105 minutes.
• Cool in pan on wire rack, then place in fridge to fully set and chill. Use foil to lift pie onto a cutting board to slice into bars.
• Store bars in sealed container in fridge. Best eaten within a few days.

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