Christmas + Cookies = One Happy Girl

I love this time of the year!  I love the cold weather outside, getting together with family, listening to Christmas music, and of course all the different kinds of cookies.  Tyler's family cooks like 1000 cookies.  Some of my favorites are monster cookies, pecan tassies, peanut butter cup cookies, hershey kisses cookies and the list goes on and on.  Since Tyler and I live so far away we are never there for this day, so we decided this year we would do our own cookie baking day.  So when I got home from work one night we went straight to baking.  I put on some much needed Christmas music to put us in the spirit.  We made three different kinds of cookies that night: chocolate chip & caramel, gingerbread, and chocolate covered almond biscotti.  The first recipe I'm sharing today is the chocolate chip & caramel cookies.

Cookies

1 c granulated sugar

1 c brown sugar

1 c (2 sticks) butter, softened

2 eggs

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

3 c all-purpose flour

12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2  bag of caramel candy pieces (found in the candy aisle)  

Combine the sugars, butter, eggs and vanilla in mixer bowl using the paddle attachment.  Turn to low speed for 30 seconds.  Stop and scrape bowl and continue on medium speed for another 30 seconds.  Stop and scrape bowl again.  Turn back to low speed and gradually add the baking soda, salt, and flour to the mixture and mix for about 2 minutes.  Stop to scrape the bowl and mix for another 30 seconds on low.  Add in the chocolate chips and caramel pieces and fold in by hand.  Drop rounded teaspoonfuls onto greased baking sheet, about 2 inches apart.  Bake at 375 degree for 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and let sit on baking sheet for 2 to 3 minutes before transferring them to wire rank.