How to make a cookie platter

Los Angeles- Easy cookie platters aren’t always about baking the best cookie, sometimes they’re about knowing the best cookies, candies and treats to buy.

A good cookie platter should consist of a baked flat cookie, a cookie bar, a sandwich cookie, some sort of candy and last but not least chocolate dipped fruit.

A few timeless baked flat cookies:

• Chocolate chip cookies- these are relatively easy to make.
• Dark chocolate chip cookies- believe it or not regular grocery stores have a pretty good selection.
• Earthquake cookies- during the holidays you can find these at specialty stores that sell cookies.
• Peanut butter cookies- not always a favorite so don’t make too many.
• Sugar cookies- Pillsbury makes a good sugar cookie& it can be iced with homemade icing.

A few timeless cookie bars:

• Blondie’s- you would probably need to make these.
• Chocolate Brownies
• Lemon bars

A few new ideas for sandwich cookies:

• Use some of your store bought or made flat cookies and create ice cream sandwiches.
• Buy the latest and greatest Macaroons- Trader Joes sells them in their freezer section.
• Oreo cookies- yes I’m serious and to make them fancier dip them in chocolate and sprinkles.

A few new and old favorites when it comes to candy:

• Toffee- put the toffee out you received as gifts.
• Dark chocolate pistachio bark- finds the recipe below
• Hershey’s chocolate kisses white and dark chocolate

Chocolate dipped fruit:

• Strawberries
• Raspberry clusters
• Pineapple

Holiday Blondie Recipe

• ¼-cup canola oil
• 1-cup brown sugar
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups of flour
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• ½ cup M&M’s
• ¼-snow caps, halved
• 1-cup Kit Kats, halved

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl mix together the softened butter, vegetable oil, brown sugar and white sugar until well incorporated.
3. Add in the eggs and vanilla then mix until it is a smooth consistency.
4. Add in the baking powder, salt and flour.
5. Mix well.
6. Then add the chocolate chips to the bowl and fold them into the mixture.
7. Spray a quarter sheet pan with non stick spray and press the dough into the pan.
8. Smooth it across the top and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
9. Remove from the oven allow it to cool for 10 – 15 minutes and then cut into squares.(if plain bars are desired.
10. After the bars come out of the oven pour the chocolate chips over the top.
11. Allow them to melt for 3-5 minutes and then use an offset baking spatula to spread the chocolate chips all over the brownies.
12. Smooth the chocolate so there are no residual lumps and then top the melt chocolate with M&M’s, Snow caps, and Kit Kat bars.
13. Allow the chocolate to harden in a cool area (may take up to 2 hours) and then cut.
14. Serve.