Who can resist a cookie?

I know for a fact I can't. There's just something about a delicious homemade cookie that's nostalgic and delightful. I want to be one of those people who when company comes over, I have some homemade cookies in a cookie jar. I want to pack a lunch for someone special in my life and sneak in a few tasty treats. But who has the time to make cookies from scratch? Rarely anyone these days so we settle for pre-made cookies, cookies from a package, generic cookies - really cookies full of artificial ingredients and preservatives. Wouldn't it be nice to have homemade cookies with a personal touch within minutes? I finally found a recipe that let's you do exactly that.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups white whole-wheat flour 
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
5 tablespoons canola oil
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Coarse sugar for decoration

Preparation:

1. Whisk white whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
2. Beat sugar, oil and butter in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer on high until smooth, scraping down the sides. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth, scraping down the sides. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until just combined.
3. Place half the dough on a large piece of plastic wrap and shape into a 10-inch log (it’s OK if it’s not perfectly round). Repeat with the remaining dough. Wrap and freeze until just firm, about 45 minutes. Reroll the logs to make them rounder and return to the freezer until very firm, at least 1 hour more.
4. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
5. Remove one roll of dough at a time from the freezer and let stand at room temperature for 5 minutes. Unwrap the dough and slice crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rounds, turning the dough a quarter turn after each slice to help keep the cookies round. Place 1/2 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet. If your cookies aren’t as round as you want them to be, shape the dough with your fingers. Sprinkle each cookie with a little coarse sugar and gently press it into the cookie to help it adhere.
6. Bake 8 minutes for soft cookies or 10 minutes for crisp cookies. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining roll of dough, if desired. 

What I like about these cookies is that they can be tailored to what you like. If you're a chocolate lover you can add coco powder and chocolate chips; if you like lemon, you can add lemon zest and a vanilla frosting; almonds and coconut can be another tasty combination. Or you can serve them simply as is. A delicious alternative to store bought mixes and pre-packaged goods!