The Clark Kent of Cookies…

This cookie is a regular ole Plain Jane. Nothing too special to look at; nothing too exotic. But, man, give this Plain Jane a nice party dress and all the sudden she’s the belle of the ball. Or, to make use of my Superman reference. Give Plain Jane a cape, and she could totally kick bad guy butt. What am I trying to get across with these super cheesy metaphors? I’m glad you asked: these cookies may be on the plain side when eaten, well, um, plain. BUT, dress them up a bit and they’re amazing. (And, hey, if you're craving a plain, comforting flavor, then by all means, don't bother dressing these babies up.)

Everyone needs a standard cake cookie recipe in his or her repertoire, and this is a great standard cake cookie. It’s a great jumping off point for experimentation, a great vehicle for creativity. You get my point. Sick of the metaphors yet?

These are quintessential cake cookies. They taste exactly like a nice buttery, white-ish cake in cookie form. They bake up puffy and nice and golden on the edges. They remain soft and delicate in the centers. Hands-down, they’re yummy just by themselves. But they deserve more than just a “yummy.” So many things are yummy these days. So, to do these Plain Janes justice, you need to…well, just get creative! They’d be great with tea or coffee. Dunk ‘em in and let that wonderful cake dissolve in your mouth. Or what about your favorite jam? Or with some chocolate sandwiched between two cookies! You could easily turn these cookies into Black and Whites. The possibilities are endless!

Before I share with you this super-easy recipe, one word of warning. These cookies bake up faster than you might expect. Be sure, very sure, not to overbake them. No one likes a dry cake, now, do they? Take this from someone who overbaked a batch or two yesterday, you don’t want dry. Dry is the enemy. So, make sure to check your cookies before you think you’re done. I know, I know, that’s the usual advice. But, the looks of these cake cookies can be quite deceiving, and I only wish I had taken that one batch out 2 minutes earlier!

Without further ado, let me introduce to you: Jane, the Belle of the Ball!

Cake Cookies

2 ½ cups AP flour
2 ½ cups cake flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
4 eggs
1 cup whole milk
1 tsp vanilla

Method:
(1) Preheat oven to 375. Whisk dry ingredients together and set aside.
(2) Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5-6 minutes.
(3) Add eggs, one at a time, beating until just incorporated. Add milk and vanilla. Mixture will be extremely liquidy at this point, and may look “weird.” Don’t panic!
(4) Mix in dry ingredients in 3-4 parts.
(5) Scoop cookie batter onto baking sheets (I fit about 8 cookies per baking sheet). Bake for approximately 12-14 minutes (check at 12!)
(6) Top with your favorite jam. Sandwich cookies with some chocolate. Dip in your favorite melted chocolate or caramel. Dunk in some tea or coffee. You get the gist!