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Guys, I don’t want to shatter any illusions you may have of me or anything, but I’m so totally lame. I mean, for real.
You have no idea the pressure I feel when someone that is not my close family comes over for dinner. I make a living sharing food on the internet. The expectations that I cook a fabulous meal are so high that it hurts. Seriously, I could have a full blown panic attack about it if I wasn’t so busy thinking and rethinking the menu.
Anyway, we had some friends over for dinner last weekend. I decided to go the easy route and make pasta. For real, how hard can pasta be? We had baked ziti, Chicken Alfredo, salad, and my very favorite garlic bread. So easy, I could do it with my eyes closed!
Obviously, I ruined all of it.
The fresh mozzarella that I put on top of the ziti got crunchy instead of melty. I mean, what? How is that even possible?
I decided to be lazy and didn’t butterfly the chicken breasts before cooking them so they took forever and I ended up pulling them halfway through cooking to hack them into ugly little chunks so they would finally cook and be free of deadly salmonella germs.
The salad was fine. But, you know…it came from a bag. Hard to screw up. Also, yes, I ripped open a bag of greens and dumped them in a bowl. Ooh, you wondrous food blogger, show me more of these fancy recipes you create!
The bread? It literally caught fire. There were actual, honest to God flames in my oven, you guys. That was the first time I’ve ever had something literally catch fire before, so I did what any rational food blogger would do. I slammed the oven shut, called to my husband, and then laughed like a lunatic. He managed to save the day while I screeched that windows needed to be open and the bread was on fire and oh, what a failure I am, and don’t worry, I’m not really a food blogger, I just play one on the internet.
Basically, my poor friends that came over for dinner are never coming back again. I scared them off. I shall remain friendless and sad for the rest of my days.
(Oh, and the dessert? It was chocolate chip cookies. The cookies that I served were overbaked by about a minute making them crispier than I like. The second batch…you know, the one I left on the cookie sheet and devoured after our friends left? They were utter perfection. Chewy and soft, just the way they should be.)
I swear, y’all. I can totally cook if there is no one around to eat the food. True story.
So, obviously I made these cookie cups that I’m sharing today when no one was around to make me nervous.
These are chunky little deep dish cookie cups. They’re full of oats which totally makes them health food. I mean, they’re basically granola, you guys.
I loaded these cookie cups up with chocolate chips, but peanut butter chips would be great, too! I baked these for 12 minutes exactly which left them slightly gooey in the center. Bake an extra minute if you’d like them more firm.
Browned Butter Oatmeal Cookie Cups
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream milk works too!
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups quick cooking oats
- 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips I used milk, but any kind will work
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 12 cup muffin pan.
- In a small saucepan set over low heat, melt the butter. Continue cooking butter over low heat, whisking often, until the butter has turned a deep golden brown. Remove from the heat.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the melted butter and brown sugar. Beat in the cream, egg, and vanilla until well combined.
- In a small bowl, combine the oats, flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
- Slowly beat the dry ingredients into the wet until well combined.
- Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Scoop the dough out into the muffin tins. Fill each muffin tin nearly to the top.
- Bake for 12 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes in the muffin tin before running a knife around the edges of the cookie cups and removing from the muffin tin.
- Store in an airtight container.
Tahnycooks says
Seriously, girl, I am pretty certain that anyone and everyone would think it’s a privilege to eat your mess-ups!
These cups look gooey good!!
Ruthy @ Omeletta says
I was laughing all the way through this because that is TOTALLY me some days!! It’s like the pressure to perform even the simplest of cooking tasks causes me to fall onto my sword and freak the freak out. Just chalk it up to one of those days- you know you’re a good cook!
Jenn says
Hahahaha! Oh Karly, the food was still fabulous! ๐ The hacked up bits of chicken were my hubby’s favorite part, remember? lol I wanted to bring home all of the leftover alfredo and the crunchy mozz just added some texture….I have to admit I missed the bread though…..;) And we would totally come again! Next time with vodka….
Karly says
You SHOULD have taken home the alfredo! We left town and it didn’t get eaten. ๐
Madison says
I know what you mean about feeling pressure when people come over to dinner but you also know what? I bet it was delicious and you are just being hard on yourself! Anyone would LOVE to come over to your house to eat. You are amazing!
DessertForTwo says
I feel so much pressure to have people over and cook FABULOUS food, too. And you know what? Most people don’t care about food the way we do. For most people, food = fuel. So, I slave away and make something amazing entirely from scratch and they just think ‘hm, i’m eating. now i’m done.’ It’s so frustrating.
I know these people will come over to your house again because you’re sweet and they want to be y’all’s friends ๐ And now they can see these cookies on the internet and they will come back!
xo
Cookbook Queen says
Lawd, story of MY LIFE. Also, the fire department once came to my house because of smoke from searing a roast. To this day, NO ONE believes me that it WASN’T BURNT. The kitchen was just super smoky. SO????
Mimi @ Culinary Couture says
Lol oh god I can’t tell you how many times I’ve made something for someone else and it came out horrible…there’s just no explanation for why this happens! I guess it’s the laws of nature.
Pamela @ Brooklyn Farm Girl says
You did basically the same thing I would have done when I have seen fire. I had a few cooking accidents this year that included a oven mitt (dont ask) but as soon as the drama started I yelled for my husband, then cried, then laughed. These cookies look amazing, and I love that they’re in cup form! Even easier to hold when I’m eating 6 of them! ๐
Karly says
Thank goodness for husbands, right? (Don’t tell them I said that.)
tanya says
Karly this is a great story! I love it. Because yes, people expect food blogger to churn out perfect and gourmet meals all the time!! At least your evening ended well-with you eating THESE cookies!
Karly says
Yes! I shoved every cookie I could find in my face. ๐
Nancy P.@thebittersideofsweet says
I am falling on the floor laughing because this is so true ad happens more often than not when I have guest! The cookies cups look amazing!!
Karly says
Glad it’s not just me! ๐
Aimee @ ShugarySweets says
Oh I totally want to come to dinner now. For real. The stories I could tell on my blog after having dinner with you would be priceless ๐
And, I hope you would make these cookies. YUMMERS.
Karly says
Mm hmm. But then think of the stories I could tell about you, little Miss Bird Lover. ๐ (And don’t you dare call me poopy.)
Erin | The Law Student's Wife says
Karly, I basically got an ab work reading this, I am laughing so hard. I know exactly what you mean about PRESSURE. I once baked 2 cakes for a party I was going to where I knew a bunch of people read my blog. You know what? I bet your dinner was juuuuust fine, and if those people don’t want to come back, then that’s one less stressful dinner for you.
PS. These cookies are happening. Probably tonight. Pinned and loving!
Karly says
The stress is just too much, huh? ๐
Thanks for pinning!
Joanne says
This sounds like a Murphy’s law situation to me! And the same thing happens to me. All the time.
That’s why I prefer to keep all my cookies (and cookie cups!) to myself!
Karly says
I’ll try your method of just eating everything myself next time. Sounds like a good plan! ๐
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says
Yussss!! Such a fabulous flavour! Love these!!
Belinda @themoonblushbaker says
At time like this calls for boxed Mac and cheese to save the day.
These cookie cups are too cute! I am a sucker for stuff in a muffin pan, these look too good!
Karly says
Haha! Yes…one can never have enough boxed mac and cheese around for emergency situations!