Before I arrived in Wilmington and I began my real estate career, I was a pastry chef. I went to Johnson & Wales University before becoming a pastry chef at The Greenbrier in West Virginia. These days, my life is more than just real estate or rolling out dough. I like to highlight local, small businesses and restaurants with my platform, help my clients love where they live, and I like to show my clients the ropes on how to start investment properties. 

But, when I come home and the day is done, I still like to unwind with baking. It remains my ultimate passion. While I do plenty of it around the holiday season, that is only just the beginning. I found myself baking plenty of cookies to get through these cold weeks in January. Here are a couple of my favorite cookie recipes below. Enjoy!

Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup softened butter
2 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla

2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp chili powder

16 oz. Trader Joe’s unsweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Cream together the sugars and softened butter in a stand mixer for several minutes. Add in eggs one at a time, then vanilla. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and chili powder. Once combined, add gradually to the wet mixture. 

Fold in chocolate chips by hand with a wooden spoon. Scoop 1 oz. cookie dough balls and leave in the refrigerator to set for at least two hours. Remove from fridge and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. 

Bake at 325 degrees for 13 to 15 minutes. 

Cream Cheese Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cup sugar

3 large eggs

2 tsp pure vanilla

3 1/2 cups flour, sifted

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1.2 cup sweet coconut cream

8 oz. cream cheese

Instructions

Cream softened butter and sugar together in a stand mixer for several minutes until smooth. Add in eggs one at a time and then vanilla. In a separate bowl, sift all dry ingredients together (flour, baking powder, baking soda) and gradually add to the wet mixture until fully integrated. Chill cookie dough in the fridge for at least two hours. Once chilled, scoop onto a parchment-lined baking sheet at bake at 325 degrees for 13 to 15 minutes. 

To make the icing, cream together coconut cream and cream cheese until smooth. Add to the cookies once cooled.