I hesitated to write this post. These cookies are hands down the #1 request I get when I go somewhere… and I bake a lot. And I bake a lot from scratch. But I’ve got a secret…

These cookies are totally not from scratch. Don’t tell anyone, mmkay?

Here’s the deal- buy a chocolate chip cookie bag mix (store brand, Betty Crocker, it doesn’t matter). Then doctor it up like so:

• The bag mixes usually requires 1 egg– make that one egg a farm fresh egg. The yolk is SO much more yellow and the white is awesome and it fluffs up your cookies like you have no idea. Trust me.
• Add a teaspoon or two of vanilla extract (homemade if you can- I’ve got a recipe for it here). If your bag mix happens to call for water, do half water and half vanilla instead.
• Add a tablespoon of sugar, which will help balance the extra liquid you just added with the vanilla

• To make the cookies mint chocolate chip, add some chocolate mint leaves. I grow it in my yard so I usually use 5-7 good size sprigs, rip off the leaves, grind them up in my food processor, and stir them right in. If that’s not an option, buy the crushed up Andes mints in the baking aisle and throw those in there. I do about half a cup.

And my last tip, but definitely the most important– preheat the oven to whatever the bag tells you (usually 350*), but when you put the cookies in lower the temperature by about 25* (usually to 325*) and bake for a few extra minutes. The decrease in temperature softens your cookies and makes them rise much better. This works AWESOME with cupcakes too.

BAM- you’ve got cookies that take less then 20 minutes from start to finish and everyone thinks you’re a master baker. You’re welcome. 🙂

So tell me, what else do you hack to make amazing and easy? Pasta sauce (gravy, if you’re Italian like me) is another one I doctor up 100% of the time as well.