These chewy Cherry Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Toffee Cookies, served with a tall glass of milk, will satisfy any cookie craving!
Remember that time I told you I was going to start doing more cookbook reviews, because that is one of the reasons I started blogging was to work my way through my massive cookbook collection? And remember when I said I would bring back my cookbook reviews and do at least two a month?
Well that was WAY back in April and I haven’t shared a cookbook review since.
Whomp. Whomp. Whomp.
Well I’m finally back with another cookbook review for you today! Today I’m dishin’ about the cookbook, Beach House Baking: An Endless Summer of Delicious by Lei Shishak. I actually received a review copy of this book a few years ago when it first came out, and slowly started baking from it then. But of course life got busy and I set the book aside. When I wanted to start my cookbook review series again, this was one of the first books I picked up.
Beach House Baking is such a fun book. It is written by pastry chef Lei Shishak who owns Sugar Blossom Bake Shop in San Clemente, California. Since Lei Shishak lives near the beach and loves to travel to the beach, the recipes in this cookbook are inspired by her favorite beach vacations and her love of the sand and the sea. Each recipe starts with a few sentences as to what beach or beach memory inspired that recipe.
Here are all the details:
Pictures: Yes, this cookbook contains not only pictures of every recipe, but beautiful beach pictures as well.
Prep Time, Cooking Time, and Number of Servings listed: No
Nutritional Information Provided: No
Bourbon Fudge Brownies (page 96)
Clear, easy to follow directions and ease of preparation: Of the three recipes I’ve made so far from this book, each recipe has clear and easy to follow directions. And, for the most part, most of the recipes look easy to prepare and require only basic baking skills.
Easily available ingredients and budget friendly: Yes, all of these recipes contain most common baking products with just a few “specialty” ingredients like nuts, alcohol or fresh fruit.
Variety of recipes: This cookbook is called “Beach House Baking” and therefore is all about desserts; everything from cakes and cupcakes, to muffins, cookies and pies! But don’t worry, there are some “no bake” treats like popsicles, as well as a few beach inspired cocktail recipes.
Spiced Pear and Apple Pie (page 168)
Special feature: Like I said, before each recipe Shishak shares her favorite beach memories and why that inspired each recipe, which I think helps make this book special and unique. Several recipes also contain fun facts or slight variations on how to change the recipe.
One thing I did not like was the fact that many of the recipes had cutesy beach themed names. Like Pumpkin “Beach Ball” Whoopee Pies or Dulce “Del Mar” Ice Cream Sandwiches. In fact, the Cherry Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Toffee Cookie recipe I am sharing today was originally called Tsunamis. While I appreciate the author’s attempt at creativity and desire to make the recipe titles tie into the theme of the book, these types of titles don’t tell you anything about the recipe and make it hard to navigate the book.
So far I have made (all pictured):
Cherry Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Toffee Cookies (recipe below)
Bourbon Fudge Brownies (page 96)
Spiced Pear and Apple Pie (page 168)
Other recipes I have bookmarked:
Red Wine Cupcakes with Blackberry Mascarpone Mousse (page 64)
Ruby Cake (page 198)
Jamaican Rum Cupcakes with Spiced Whipped Cream Frosting (page 60)
Pineapple Strawberry Tarragon Popsicles (page 144)
Berry Burst Pie (page 175)
While we thoroughly enjoyed all the recipes I made from this book, these Cherry Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Toffee Cookies were probably my favorite! These cookies were crispy and chewy and packed with so many flavors. Perfect with a tall glass of milk on a busy Wednesday afternoon!
- 1½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1½ cups rolled oats
- 1 cup dried cherries
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup toffee pieces
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or baking mats. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the room temperature butter until smooth and creamy. Add both sugars and continue beating at medium speed, until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix well. Add the flour mixture and continue mixing just until combined.
- Add the rolled oats, dried cherries, chocolate chips and toffee pieces and mix until combined.
- Using a tablespoon or a medium-sized cookie scoop, drop the dough two inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10-11 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Cool cookies on baking sheets for 1-2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
recipe adapted from Beach House Baking
Other Beach House Baking Cookbook Reviews and Recipes:
Windswept Cherry Pie {The Charm of Home}
Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies {Fake Food Free}
Pumpkin Beach Ball Whoopee Pies {Hobbies on a Budget}
Apple and Ginger Pie {Living the Gourmet}
Mango Swirl Ice Pops {Little Family Adventure}
Disclosure: I received a review copy of Beach House Baking: An Endless Summer of Delicious Desserts from Skyhorse Publishing, however, was not required to write this review or compensated in any way. All opinions are my own.
