chocolate chip cookie bars stuffed w/ peanut butter

Remember when I (finally) made the Jacques Torres chocolate chip cookies?
Well ever since then (it was my 1st time making them) my husband has asked for them again EVERY SINGLE WEEK.
You know me, I just can't re-do a recipe the same way again.
if I was going to make them again I had to kick them up a notch.
So, with this next batch I was curious if a) they were stand up ok to pan cookies and b) can I stuff them with something!?
Answer? When made into pan cookies they make the best "almost" gooey cookies.
I like gooey chocolate chip cookies if they aren't too gooey, you know?
And the stuffing with peanut butter worked great; I was afraid the peanut butter might just melt away or dissolve away into the batter, but it didn't.
If you make these, please remember to sprinkle the sea salt on top before baking (just like Jacques does in his cookies).
Can I tell you again, just how darn good these are?  I mean they are so melt in your mouth good, so tasty, decadent, not too sweet, buttery, rich pan cookie.
The part I love most about this recipe is you can make the batter literally days ahead and keep it in the fridge.  This time I left the batter in the back of the fridge (wrapped in plastic really well) for 4 days.
I know you always ask "how can you not eat the dough earlier?"
My fridge has a lot of doughs, crusts, and other foods sitting waiting to be used; so temptation is never a factor really.
I'd be curious though to see how well the dough freezes?
Anyone know?
Also, why is the Jacques Torres cookie recipe also called the New York Times cookie?
I thought Jacques made the recipe?



Follow these simple steps.

Cover in those edges.

Ready for baking!

Almost done, little bit more; look for more golden brown.

Fresh out of the oven its all gooey baby!


The peanut butter middle did not melt away!


They are easy to make.
The hard part, if you have to have one, is letting the dough rest for a few days. ha!

chocolate chip  bar cookies stuffed with peanut butter

cookie base from Jacques Torres

print recipe

2 cups minus 2 TB (8 1/2 ounces) cake flour

1 2/3 cups (8 1/2 ounces) bread flour

1 1/4 ts baking soda

1 1/2 ts baking powder

1 1/2 ts coarse salt

2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter

1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) light brown sugar

1 cup plus 2 TB (8 ounces) granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 ts natural vanilla extract

1 1/4 pounds bittersweet chocolate disks/chips at least 60 percent cacao (don’t skip this part, use a high quality chocolate, it makes all the difference)

1 – 1 ¼ cups smooth or chunky peanut butter, (not all natural-- too oily for this recipe)

Sea salt for sprinkling top of dough

Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.

Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes.

Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla.

Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds.

Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them.

Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours.

(I left mine for 96 hours and it was perfectly fine)

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray a 9 x 13 pan with non-stick spray.

Divide dough into 2 piles: 2/3 and 1/3.

Take the 2/3 dough and line the bottom of the baking pan with it, making sure to get all the corners, making sure there aren’t any holes or gaps in the dough.

Spread a layer of peanut butter; do not spread peanut butter to the edges!

Take the 1/3 remaining dough and crumble on the top. Also make sure to take any dough and close up any gaps you see in the corners.

Don’t push the crumble down into the dough, just leave it on the top—it’s ok to have spaces in the crumble—gaps are good on the top, it will let the peanut butter swirls show through.

Sprinkle the top with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, roughly 25 – 31 minutes.

Look for golden brown edges, non-jiggly middle.

The middle will be a bit soft, but once it completely cools it won’t be as gooey; it sets up really nice.

Slice with a sharp knife.

Makes about 20-24 bars depending on how you cut them.

friday links

Congrats to the winners of the Harmless Harvest 100% Raw Coconut Giveaway: 
#7 Shannon and #35 Caitlin.
Please email me your shipping address.


I finally got to try Pinkberry for the first time.
We don't have any on the cape, but I was in place last week that had one.
And I was impressed.  Really good--now I know what all the rage is about.
This was the key lime with raspberries and coconut.

Allergy season is here!  Stinging Nettle: this is what I've been using for many years.
Every year around the beginning of March I start taking these right through to the end of August.
It works for hay fever and other allergies plus it has other medicinal benefits.
Do some research on "stinging nettle"--and you'll see.
And if you do start this or any herb, remember they do not work overnight; they take a while.
I share this with you because it truly works for me; I use to suffer badly from hay fever.

Finally tried the new Hazelnut Macchiato from Starbucks.  Wow that was good.
It's really sweet, so I ask for 1-2 pumps as opposed to 5, and have them use whole milk.
What makes it is that hazelnut drizzle on the top!

With ice cream season in full swing, I wasted no time trying the newest flavor from Ben & Jerry's: Candy Bar Pie.  Seriously, do I even need to explain how crazy-good it is?

Isn't this hilarious?  I can't remember where I got it, some where on pinterest.

There are two bridges that connect the mainland to cape cod, the sagamore bridge and the bourne bridge.
I was stuck in traffic on the top of the sagamore bridge (they are in the process of painting it so they had closed two lanes which causes traffic); I just had to grab a quick shot of the cape cod canal.  Rarely do I ever get to see the canal because I'm always driving and cannot get a good view.

Can you see how the canal curves out?  Pretty cool right?

We had one day, so far, with 70 degree temps; it was glorious.  After the winter we had, it was so refreshing to have full on sun and calm blue sea.

On sunny days you just have to take off, pack a lunch, and go to your favorite spot for the day.


Not a bad view for the day. No complaints here.

Around the web:
yoga poses for a good nights sleep from yoganonymous
9 small changes to boost energy from mindbodygreen
mini jamaican beef patties from toast the host
yoga for weight loss (video) from alignyo
foods good for your teeth from blisstree
what's your under eye circle? from youbeauty
the latest trend now: kosher yoga from blisstree
the hormone diet: reduce weight by lowering inflammation from blisstree
the power of dreams from harvard gazette
do you have a "leaky gut"? from intentblog
11 hidden sources of gluten from mindbodygreen
rare photos of The Rolling Stones from flavorwire
increased fiber reduces stroke from dailyburn
the best restorative yoga poses to relieve stress from greatist
paleo banana bread from paleomg
8 ways we block our creativity & keep ourselves stuck from tiny buddha
root beer float cookies from foods for the soul
this is your body without sleep from mindbodygreen
easy 'no yeast' cinnamon rolls from back for seconds
milky way brownie bites from crazy for crust
paleo country biscuits from fastpaleo
super brain smoothie from mindbodygreen
crispy orange cauliflower from veganricha
energy density & weight loss mayoclinic
honey-lemon cream cheese danish swirls from sassy early grey
chocolate pound cake from tutti-dolci
karma 101: cause & effect for beginners from intent blog
is your past dictating your future? from intentblog
8 ways to use fresh mint from seriouseats
lunettes jam sandwich cookies from seriouseats
plum friands from a spoonful of sugar
linzer tart from swiss miss in the kitchen
salted caramel pecan fudge from vegan yumminess
banana-pecan coffee cake from seriouseats
6 tea ingredients that can help you unwind from marksdailyapple
lamington rice krispy treats from mallow & co
olive sables from eatlivetravelwrite
americas oldest person dies at 113: how she lived so long from discovery.com
walnut flour brownies w/ bitter chocolate ganache! (bookmarked!!) from anafernandez
canvas cookies decorated w/ food pens from the decorated cookie
cleanse your diet, lifestyle, & home for a better spring from yoganonymous
bacon fries from oh bite it
5 ways to wake up happy every day from intent blog
top chair poses for strength (do at your desk) from yoganonymous
organic apples & pears aren't free of antibiotics? from npr blog
what to eat in the springtime (great spring cookbook list from new yorker)

Have a wonderful weekend!

cookie butter-cream cheese chocolate truffles

My love affair with cookie butter continues....
I bring you truffles.
For me, the ultimate creation to make with cookie butter.
The creaminess of chocolate mixed with cream cheese and then cookie butter?
Oh heavenly.  So good.
And you know, I'm not a fan of white chocolate, but it truly goes so well with this truffle; just melded right into the savory, melty goodness of the chocolate middle.
I highly suggest using the crunchy cookie butter as opposed to the smooth.
The crunchy adds a nice texture.
I get so many emails asking me the best way to melt chocolate in the microwave.
I gave you a few hints below.
We you all like for me to do a dedicated post on tempering chocolate?


Cookie butter and chocolate--this is an eating stage, wouldn't you say?

Mix with the cream cheese.

Add another layer of cookie butter on the top for that nice visual swirl. Optional of course, but wonderful!

Tip: when mixing the cookie butter in with the chocolate, don't overmix so you leave "visibile" swirls.


Make the truffles a bit smaller than this one.

Always keep the truffles nice and cold before their chocolate bath.

Tip: try using ramekins for dipping truffles or other one-bite candies/chocolates.
They do hold the heat longer, and they are smaller for easier dipping.

When microwaving chocolate always zap it for 10 seconds intervals. Easier to under-do than over-do.
And always stir in between zapping!

Get your dipping station all set before you start.
If you want to top your truffles with nuts or cocoa powder, then have that ready at your dipping station too.



You have to know how fabulous of a treat these are.
These truffles make excellent gifts--Mothers Day is right around the corner!

cookie butter- cream cheese chocolate truffles

print recipe

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

10 ounces semisweet chocolate

¾  cup cookie butter (use Trader Joe’s Crunchy cookie butter—excellent texture!)

an additional  ¼  to ½  cup of cookie butter, set aside

a hefty pinch of sea salt

Additional white chocolate (10 ounces) and semi-sweet chocolate (10 ounces) for dipping

nuts, cocoa powder, sea salt if you want to top the dipped truffles as decoration, optional

I don’t have a mixer, so I mixed this by hand, but if you have a mixer, then mix the cream cheese until creamy; set aside.

Melt the chocolate over a double-boiler.

Take off heat and add in the ¾ cup of cookie butter and stir—no need to over stir; swirls are good. Pour this mixture over the cream cheese and stir until just combined.

Spread into an 8x8 or 9x9 dish.

Working fairly fast, take the remaining ½ - ¾ cup of cookie butter and place on top of mixture.  Using a chopstick or narrow knife, make swirls and gently mix with the chocolate.  Leave visible swirls, do not mix all the way through.

Cover dish with plastic wrap and chill for several hours.

(I left mine in fridge for two nights and it was fine).

When ready to mold the truffles, take dish out, let it come to almost room temp or you can try rolling out at any time; it might need about 20 minutes to be workable.

Scoop chocolate out with a spoon, melon ball size scoop or a half open ice cream scoop (this is what I used, in photos).

Roll chocolate mixture into balls, place in bowl/plate and chill for a few minutes while you get your dipping station set up.

I highly suggest using semi-sweet and white chocolate for dipping.

Milk chocolate was just too sweet.

I did a few dips with half semi-sweet and half white chocolate for decoration.

If you want to coat the tops of the truffles in nuts, then feel free.

Depending on how big or small you make them, you should get between 20- 30 truffles.

Keep them in an air-tight container for a few days.

brownies stuffed with smores

Have I made this before?
I don't know.
I'm too lazy to look back at my old brownie posts and see.
Honestly I'm not that into brownies; I can't just like any old kind.
I need to have some texture in there or if there can't be texture then it has to be made with the high quality cocoa. You know that deep, rich 60-70% cocoa chocolate?  Love that stuff.
So when I make brownies I go all out and dress them up.
Remember when I made the peanut butter cookie crusted brownies?
My taste buds do.  Man those were good!
OR how about the peanut butter & fluff brownies with salty cookie crust?
Yeah I remember those!
Those are worth gold in my house; aka they get hubby to do all those things that sit on the "honey-do" list.


Easy to make.
Just take your favorite brownie mix, pour half the batter into well greased pan, add a layer of mini
marshmallows (if you want the marshmallows still visible after baking then use larger marshmallows), add a layer of crushed grahams 1/2 - 1 cup, then top with remaining brownie batter, and bake.



No graham crackers?
Use shortbread, use Oreo's...you can use any type of crunchy cookie really.

I realize you cannot see the marshmallows in the brownies.  That's because I used the mini ones and they dissolved a bit, BUT there is a nice chewiness to the middle.
So if you feel the need to see the marshmallows, I suggest using large marshmallows, although they might stick out on the top--which is also a good thing.

brownies stuffed with smores
print recipe

take your favorite brownie recipe
pour half the batter into greased pan
layer on mini marshmallows or large ones (large will still be present after baking, mini will dissolve)
layer on crushed graham crackers 1/2 - 1 cup (add a pinch of salt to the crushed crackers)
gently push (just a little) the mixture down a bit
pour remaining brownie batter over top
smooth out with wet spatula or wet hands
bake according to original brownie baking directions

don't have crushed grahams? use crushed shortbread cookies.

Harmless Harvest 100% Raw Coconut Water Giveaway

Today I'm thrilled to have a giveaway with Harmless Harvest Coconut Water.
One of my favorite ways to naturally hydrate is with Harmless Harvest 100% Coconut Water.
It is what coconut water should taste like; not watered down, not filled with crap or loaded up with extra sugar and in most cases extra water!
This is all natural, in it's purest raw form, and 100% safe and 100% sustainable!

I am one of those people that is just so tired of all those energy-sugar-laden sports drinks or ‘heavily’ watered down “so-called” coconut water drinks.  These drinks do nothing for me on a hot summer day, on a medium-heavy workout at the gym; that if anything they make me feel unhealthier, drained, or worse ready for a nap after a workout.  I do seek out those coconut water drinks, but am always so disappointed by how much water they contain, and not enough electrolytes, minerals, etc.

You can imagine my surprise when I found Harmless Harvest pure 100% coconut water.  I’ll admit I was a little setback by how small the bottle was thinking another company selling a watered-down product in a small bottle. 

But in all honesty, after one drink I noticed a huge difference.  I am one of those people that tends to get low blood sugar and dehydration during the summer and have to keep an eye on my potassium levels.

Watching those survivor shows on TV I would learn just how good for you pure coconut water is, but never truly understanding the mineral/electrolyte compound that helps to make you feel (truly feel hydrated).  Harmless Harvest coconut water has all five electrolytes naturally: sodium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and calcium.

What energy drink, sport drink, etc… out there has all of these in a naturally occurring environment?  Exactly.  None.

After your next intense workout out, gardening day, hot summer day—or any day where you sweat a lot, and not to forget those days when you are dehydrated, try a bottle or two of Harmless Harvest and see just how better you feel.

And lastly, I can guarantee you that if you’ve never had pure coconut water you will be shocked at just how good it is.  There are a lot of “so called” coconut waters out there that have fillers, flavorings, and added sugar to them so that you can never really taste just how good coconut water is. 

So what does it really taste like then?

Pure coconut water has a nice nutty undertone (in foodie terms: an all natural almond joy taste) with gently sweet water like taste.

My favorite part of drinking harmless harvest coconut water is there is NO after taste and no crash and burn either.  If anything, this coconut water is exactly what your body needs—daily, workout or not. 

The owners of Harmless Harvest: Justin Guilbert & Douglas Riboud were kind enough to take some time and answer a few questions for me. 

There is also a giveaway at the end of the interview! Read through to find out!

Thank you Justin and Doug for doing this and taking time out to help educate us a little better about your company.  Tell me a little bio about your company first.

We founded Harmless Harvest in 2010 to develop beverages that provide the raw nutritional integrity of sustainably harvested ingredients. By combining innovative scientific techniques with local traditional knowledge, we launched the world’s first raw and organic coconut water ethically sourced from small agroforestry systems. Without spending any money on marketing and relying on word-of-mouth, popularity skyrocketed and it’s now available in retail locations nationwide.

Was this your first business venture?

We had zero experience in the beverage industry before starting Harmless Harvest, both coming from traditional corporate careers. Perhaps a little naively, we believed products should taste like the original, maintaining the aroma, flavor and nutritional integrity, and focus on social & environmental progress. So we decided to make them.

And what made you want to do this? A raw, organic, all natural coconut water drink?

By rejecting the disconnect between brand promise and reality, we wanted to make a product that created the brand. Instead of people purchasing the name on the bottle, we want people to choose our coconut water because of the quality inside. Harmless Harvest exists due to the reputation of 100% Raw Coconut Water, not the other way around. It was important to prove that quality can trump marketing, and people want a great product as much as we do.

Your labeling is perfect.  

You really zoned in on the key words of the importance of pure raw coconut water: never heated, 100% harmless, raw. 

Was this your intention to do it this way as a means of educating the public?

I ask this because so many other new drink products are geared towards “energy this” or “energy that”. 

By Harmless Harvest, we’re saying that choices have an impact, but it can be a positive impact. You don’t need to be harmful to the source when you produce something.

The name of our product is also the only ingredient: 100%Raw Coconut Water. That’s it. We wanted it to taste like a freshly cracked coconut and, not surprisingly, achieve that by adding absolutely nothing and not heating it. We wanted people to understand that just from the label, no gimmicks.

Tell us a little bit about how you get this raw coconut water from Thailand to the USA?  Is it kept cold, how is it transported safely and in a safe manner?

After being cracked on location, our coconut water is maintained in a deep frozen state until high pressure processing. Trust us, it sounds a lot easier than it is!

How hard was it to start this business given that your coconut water comes from Thailand?  

Is that right only Thailand or are you sourcing from other areas?

We spent years searching across the world for coconuts of the highest quality, grown in traditional rural communities. There were many false starts and mistakes before we found the right opportunity in Thailand. Now we have strong ties to the communities we work with there and are hoping to expand to new agroforestry locations that grow our specific variety of coconuts.

In the beginning venture towards bringing this coconut water to completion was there anything that threw you off, put the plans off to the side temporarily.  I know problems happen with any new business venture, but did they have any major setbacks that they plowed through? 

Obtaining the level of quality that we wanted forced us to create the entire system from scratch. We were utilizing technology that had never been used with coconut water. This was in addition to setting up a system for harvesting, bottling and transporting perishable goods where no system existed. Finally, everyone was already familiar with coconut water lining their pantry shelves, so educating retailers and consumers on the perishability of a raw product and the variation that nature gives us (as seen in our pink bottles) was imperative. Innovation requires effort, not just ideas. There was, and still is, a lot of hard work involved in getting those coconuts from the tree to your fridge.

I see that sustainability is a very important part of your company’s mission. 

Can you tell us why this is important to you? 

Sustainability is not just important, it is essential to Harmless Harvest. 

Why do we assume that production needs to be destructive? 

Why can’t it be neutral or even positive? The question should be really asked of other company’s: how they can stay in business without sustainability?

And with this sustainability any farming, plants/trees can die, be injured, or damaged. 

What process do your farms use to sustain their crops over time?  In other words, how do they plan for future crops—do they let land lie fallow, plant new trees each year, etc…?

We work with centuries-old operations in Thailand. These are agroforestry systems that have other crops such as mangos, bananas, mangosteen, mingled with the coconut palms. The farmers work with what they have and implement traditional techniques. It’s a long-established natural method of growing and harvesting.

There is a video on your website that explains quite simply how your coconut water is minimally processed.  

It’s called the HPP process, or high pressure processing using high pressure instead of heat to stop potentially harmful bacteria getting into the coconut water.

You say this is the safest but most expensive process.  Why is it so costly?

HPP extends the refrigerated shelf life of our coconut water while maintaining the delicate organoleptic compounds found in a freshly cracked coconut. It requires specialized machinery, facilities and the staff to perform the process, but also a dedicated management.

I drink this coconut water a lot, I’ve come across a couple of bottles that are pink coconut water?  

We don’t mix or homogenize our coconut water so, just like in whole coconuts, there can be variation among bottles. One of these variations is the level of antioxidants. While all of our coconut water is perfectly clear when it’s bottled, those that contain the highest levels of antioxidants can spontaneously turn pink with time. Additives could hide the harmless color variation, but we love that the delicious pink bottles show that we add nothing to our coconut water. We were afraid people would run from the pink bottles, but by telling them the truth, we now know many people who seek them out.

Can coconut water go bad?

Like all freshly squeezed juices, coconut water will naturally go bad shortly after the coconut is opened. With the use of HPP, Harmless Harvest coconut water achieves a longer refrigerated shelf life. It is similar to milk in that there is a risk of spoilage if it is not kept refrigerated or drunk before the best by date.

Once you extract the fluids from the coconut, what do you do with the remaining husk and meat?

Currently, most is resold locally. We are also working on several options, ranging from new products to energy sources for our facilities in Thailand.

Do you have any recipes using your coconut water? 

I know I use mine in smoothies in lieu of milk or water, for that extra boost of nutrition.

We have seen lots of recipes with our coconut water ranging from simple additions of chia seeds, mint or even jalapenos in the bottle to smoothies and sauce for mussels. We still love it straight.

Are there any other Harmless Harvest products that we can look forward to?

Oh I hope we can see coconut bars?  Almond Joy like clones that are all natural and tastier? How about chocolate-coconut cups?  OK, you get the idea here. 

But seriously do you plan on expanding your product line to foods or more drinks?

We are so excited to introduce our next project: 100% Raw Tea. 

You will be able to find Unsweetened, Honey, andPeppermint varieties in stores as of this summer. We freeze the tea leaves right after picking, pulverize with spring water, filter and use HPP to extend the shelf life and extract maximum flavor of the 100% Raw & Organic ingredients. 

On the coconut front, we have many innovative products coming soon. Stay tuned!

To find out more about Harmless Harvest, please visit their website HarmlessHarvest.com.

Find them on Facebook or follow them on Twitter.

To find out where to buy Harmless Harvest please click here: stores. 

Most Whole Food stores do carry Harmless Harvest. 

Thank you so much for this interview; very informative.

For the giveaway, they were kind enough to donate three (3) free coupons for their coconut water + a free t-shirt to two winners.

To enter leave ONE comment telling us if you've tried Harmless Harvest before and what other products you'd like to see made with all natural coconut water and/or coconut.

PLEASE have a valid email address in your signature line.

ALL ANONYMOUS COMMENTS will be deleted; you must have a full name and email in your signature line. 

We'll do the drawing next friday 4/12/2013. Good Luck!