Best Christmas Gift for 2009: Maple Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies

Bad news: if you haven't already purchased Chunk, Pip Squeak, Mr. Squiggles, Num Nums or Patches, then you're too late to get this year's hottest toy: an electronic hamster -- the Zhu Zhu artifical rodent.

Good news: you won't be giving someone an artifical rodent for Christmas this year.

It's OK, though. Research has shown that what people really want for Christmas is cookies. (Study done by Food Blogga et al, October 2009). And since there are hundreds of cookies to suit any taste, they make the ideal gift, even for those difficult people on your list.



One of the hottest cookies this year is Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies. If you haven't yet hopped on the bacon dessert bandwagon, then now is the time. The pairing of bacon with sweets sucah as chocolate, caramel, and maple syrup makes sense if you consider how much we love sweet and salty foods-- think kettle corn and chocolate covered pretzels. I have made these cookies with different ingredient pairings, and the maple smoked bacon and walnuts is my favorite. The salty, slightly smoky bacon intensifies the cookie's sweet, rich chocolate flavor, transforming an otherwise ordinary chocolate chip cookie into something extraordinary.

So forget about the Zhu Zhu rodent, and give the gift of maple bacon chocolate chip cookies instead. Unlike this year's hottest toy, you won't have to worry about your supermarket running out of bacon.

These Maple Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies are my first entry for Eat Christmas Cookies, Season 3, the Zhu Zhu pet of Christmas Cookie Blog Events. Want to share yours? Find out how here.

Today is also the first Eat Christmas Cookies Give-Away! From now through the December 20th, Santa and I will be giving away several sweet Christmas gifts to participants who submit cookies. For your chance to win Elinor Klivans's The Essential Chocolate Chip Cookbook, simply submit your Christmas cookie anytime between now and Saturday, November 28th.

The Essential Chocolate Chip Cookbook contains 45 scrumptious chocolate chip-centric recipes ranging from comforting Chocolate Chip Gingerbread and Cinnamon and Chips Chiffon Cake to outrageously decadent Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars and Hot Chocolate Chip Brownie Sundae Cakes.

Maple Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies 
Makes about 18 large cookies
Print recipe only here.

Thin and Chewy

5 strips maple smoked bacon

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature

1/2 cup white sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar
1 large egg

3/4 teaspoon maple extract

2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup walnuts

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, add bacon. Cook, turning several times, until browned and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel lined plate to drain. Chop finely.

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

3. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, and salt.

4. In a large bowl, using an electric hand mixer, cream the butter and sugars. Add egg and maple extract and beat until just blended. Add the dry ingredients; beat until just incorporated and the flour is dissolved. Stir in the chocolate chips, walnuts, and bacon.

5. Drop one large tablespoon of cookie dough 2-3 inches apart, as they will spread. (I put 6 cookies per sheet.) Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until firm and golden brown around the edges and still slightly soft in the center. Transfer to a rack and cool for 15 minutes. 

Thick and Chewy

5 strips maple smoked bacon

1 cup plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

¾ stick butter (3/4 cup) unsalted butter at room temperature

1/3 cup white sugar

1/3 cup light brown sugar

1 large egg

3/4 teaspoon maple extract

2/3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

½ cup chopped walnuts

Follow the same instructions as above.

You might also like these dessert recipes from Food Blogga:
Tootsie Roll Fudge
Chocolate Stout Pudding (Made with Guinness stout!)
Reese's Peanut Butter Cup and Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Pumpkin Pie Pudding with Candied Pecans and Freshly Whipped Cream

Here are more bacon desserts you might like:
Candied Bacon Ice Cream recipe at David Lebovitz
Candied Bacon and Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe at Food Geekery
Bacon Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe from Bacon Unwrapped
Maple Bacon Cupcakes with Maple Frosting recipe from Vanilla Garlic

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Oh, and here's another great Christmas gift idea: An HP Touch Smart Computer!

My friend Michelle of Scribbit asked me to help spread the word on her BIGGEST give-away ever! She is giving away an HP Touch Smart Computer! Visit Michelle for the details. But don't delay. The the give-away ends at 11:59 pm, Friday, November 27th. Good luck!

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One last thing! Stephanie of the wonderful Wasabimom! has posted an interview with me on her site as part of her series, Food Bloggers Spotlight.

Eat Christmas Cookies, Season 3, The Ongoing Round-Up

The cookies are here! Want to submit yours? Find out how.

Karen of Karen Cooks from Havre, Montana

Karen shares a recipe for impossibly cheerful Orange Cranberry Slices and even tells you how to make your own vanilla extract!

Susan of Food Blogga from San Diego, CA

Forget Zhu Zhu pets, Maple Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies are the hottest Christmas gift this year. Salty, slightly smoky bacon intensifies the cookie's rich chocolate flavor, transforming an otherwise ordinary chocolate chip cookie into something extraordinary.

Manju of Three Tastes from Metro, DC area

Manju's holiday baking started early this year with a request from her Gram for Nut Horns. These sugar dusted treats made Gram feel better and will no doubt put a spring in your step as well.

Leslie of Leslie's Cookery from South Carolina

Leslie takes plain 'ol saltine crackers and with some brown sugar, butter, and chocolate transforms them into addictive Chocolate Toffee Crunch.

Dani from Phoenix, Arizona is the first person to submit a cookie this year! 

Dani shares her and her daughter's favorite cookie recipe for Jen's Heavenly Confectioner's Sugar Cookies from Better Homes and Gardens. They're so "melt-in-your-mouth" good that she makes them for every holiday. Makes about 40 cookies, depending upon size.

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 1/2 cups sifted confectioner's sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Optional: lemon, lime or orange juice and/or zest to taste (about 1 tablespoon of each)

1. In a large bowl, beat butter and cream cheese for 30 seconds with an electric mixer on medium speed. Add confectioner's sugar, baking powder, egg, vanilla, half the flour, and juice/zest if using. Beat  on low until incorporated. Beat one minute on medium. Add remaining flour, beating on low until well combined.
2. Divide dough into 2 balls. Wrap in wax paper and flatten into 3/4-inch-thick rounds. Refrigerate 1 hour, or until firm.
3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. On a floured surface or between two sheets of wax paper, roll dough to 1/2-inch thick. Do not roll thinner or dough will be difficult to remove from cookie cutters. Cut out cookies. You may have to refrigerate scraps before re-rolling. Add sprinkles, non-pareils, etc. before baking or they won't stick without icing. Bake on ungreased cookie sheets until the edges are set but not browned, about 8-9 minutes. Cool on a rack before icing.
4. Icing: 1 cup sifted confectioner's sugar, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract or lemon/lime/orange juice, and several drops of milk. Combine sugar and flavoring. Add milk and whisk until desired consistency is reached. Dip cookies in icing and place on a wire rack. Decorate with sprinkles.

San Diego's Food 4 Kids Program and a Give-Away

My friends and fellow food bloggers, Caron of San Diego Food Stuff and Alice of Alice Q Foodie, are co-hosting a fundraiser for San Diego Food Bank's "Food 4 Kids" backpack program.
 
According to the program's official site, the Food 4 Kids Program is "an emergency food assistance program designed especially for chronically hungry kids during the school year. Food 4 Kids allows children who are hungry to access food for themselves and their siblings for the weekend and/or holiday vacation. The food is placed in a backpack for the student to carry home, thus removing the stigma a child might experience with carrying home a bag of groceries."

The fundraiser has two main components:

1. If you'd like to donate money, Caron and Alice have set up a fund raising page on Firstgiving.com at www.firstgivingcom/food4kids.

2. If you'd like to donate a food-filled backpack, here's how:
1. Buy a gender neutral, plain backpack, so it can be given to a boy or girl.
2. Fill it with non-perishable foods such as cereal, granola bars, juice boxes, peanut butter, or anything else you'd like.
3. Drop it off at the Food 4 Kids table at the Little Italy Mercato on Saturday, December 12th. The market is open from 9:00am-1:30pm and is located between Date and India Streets.

For more information, check out Caron's latest piece on SDNN.com.

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And now... it's a give-away!

My friend Michelle of Scribbit asked me to help spread the word on her BIGGEST give-away ever! She is giving away an HP Touch Smart Computer!

Visit Michelle for the details. But don't delay. The the give-away ends at 11:59 pm, Friday, November 27th. Good luck!

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Eat Christmas Cookies, Season 3 is underway, and some cookies have already been posted. Have you posted yours? Find out how here.