Malted Chocolate Chip Cookies & November's Give-Away Apron

Well, I over bought...Halloween candy, of course.  We only had three little Treaters and now I have a BIG bowl of candy on my dining room table staring at me:-(  Time for my brain to think up some recipes to use this up before my hips spread!  I started with the Whoppers--malted milk balls.
Whoppers, by Hershey, are the original malted milk ball and basically have no nutritional value, but nonetheless are still a favorite. Instead of chopping them to put into the cookie, I ground them to a powder to add.

With the amount of packages I had left over, I was able to get 2 cups of malted "powder" by pulsing them in my food processor.  If you have less than that, adjust the flour in the recipe.

It's a beautiful fall day here; temperatures in the 70s and the color of the leaves are peaking (we're somewhat behind our New England friends!)

...so my inspiration for November's apron came from nature.  I love autumn, not only for the colors, but the aromas from the kitchen with the holidays approaching.  Thanksgiving was such a fun time to be in the kitchen with my mother and I can remember the routine as if if were yesterday.

 
Malted Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
2 tsp. Vanilla extract
2 cups Whoppers, ground finely
2 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips (balances the sweetness of the malted balls!)

Preheat oven to 350F-degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
In a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars thoroughly.  Add the egg and vanilla and beat well, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary with a rubber spatula.

Add the ground Whoppers and dry ingredients and mix again until combined.  The dough should be firm, but not stiff.  Add the bittersweet chocolate chips and mix once more.

Use a 3T-size scoop to measure the cookies and place on the baking sheet, 2-inches apart--these cookies spread, so give them room.  Bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes.  Allow to cool on the baking sheet about 7-10 minutes before transferring to a rack to cool completely.

The recipe makes 24--3-inch cookies that have a "crispness" perfect for dunking in milk, cocoa, tea or coffee (for my Sis who likes her 3:00 p.m. treat!)

By commenting on the posts for this month, you will be entered for the apron.  Memories of fall are some of my best growing up and with my family.  What are some of your memories? Enjoy!