.

This week’s Tuesdays with Dorie was Chockablock cookies, chosen by Mary of Popsicles and Sandy Feet.

I’ve heard of chockablock cookies before but never got around to giving them a little more attention. I’m glad these came up in the rotation because they really were amazing. They’re an “everything but the kitchen sink” kind of cookie (which I can totally get behind), and it’s the combination of all these completely different flavors (molasses and chocolate chips!) that actually make it work.

I didn’t find any one flavor to be overpowering – I love molasses so that didn’t make me worry, and the chocolate chips, walnuts, oatmeal, raisins and shredded coconut work well together. This made a lot of cookies though so if you don’t have a lot of sweet-teeth to satisfy I’d probably halve the recipe.

Though I’ve seen the bags of Hershey’s Heath Bar bits in the baking aisle at the store I’ve never really given them much thought and passed on by. However, the store I shop at was having a sale on them last week so I tossed a bag in my cart.

For the record, I’m not a big Hershey fan. Their chocolate quality has really gone down the tubes over the last several years which is one reason I haven’t bothered with their baking products. But the bag of Heath bar bits are mostly toffee with just small chunks of chocolate, and the chocolate doesn’t stand out much when baked anyway — these cookies are all about the peanut butter and toffee.

The recipe comes from Hershey though I upped the recommended 3/4 teaspoon of salt to 1 teaspoon because they’re peanut butter cookies (I had a pinch more with oatmeal cookies, too).

Before I sprinkled the bits on top of the cookies on the cookie sheet I flattened them a bit first with the back of a fork dipped in sugar (the sugar keeps the cookie from sticking to the fork) so the bits would stay on better. I don’t think this affected the outcome of the cookies since they still looked fantastic when they came out of the oven. The recipe below has my tweaks – the original is at Hershey’s site.

Warning: These cookies are highly addicting.

Peanut Butter Toffee Cookies

1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1-1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/3 cups (8 oz. package) Heath “Bits ‘O Brickle” Toffee Bits, divided

Heat oven to 375°.

Beat shortening, peanut butter, brown sugar, milk and vanilla in large bowl until well blended. Add egg; beat just until blended. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture. Stir in 1 cup of bits; reserve remainder for topping.

Drop by heaping teaspoons or by using a 1-inch cookie scoop about 2 inches apart onto ungreased or parchment-lined cookie sheet; press the top of each cookie down slightly with a fork and top each with reserved bits.

Bake 7 to 8 minutes or until set. Do not overbake. Cool for two minutes and remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

 Print this recipe!

Mother’s Day always sneaks up on me. May is such a busy month already between anniversaries, birthdays and holidays that sometimes something will slip off my radar until we’re right on top of it!

This year, however, I will be ready on May 9th, and to help, See’s Candies has a beautiful collection of Mother’s Day Gifts just right for those of us who need a little extra help coming up with the perfect gift for mom. And to help you out, they’ve very generously given me a $50 gift card to give to one lucky Heather’s Bytes reader!

Leave a comment here telling me what you love most about the moms in your life. It could be your mom, grandma, aunts, sisters, friends — there is no right or wrong answer!

~ Retweet this giveaway on Twitter and get an extra entry! ~
Just leave a comment with a link to your tweet each day. (And feel free to follow me, if you’re so inclined!)

[Comments may get caught in moderation — please don’t panic, I will approve them as soon as I get to them.]

…..

~ Contest ends Friday, April 30, 2010 at 5:00pm PST.

~ You may enter once a day, per household. Duplicate entries in one day will be discarded for the entire duration of the giveaway.

~ Giveaway open to U.S. residents only.

~ One winner will receive one $50 gift card from See’s Candies.

~ Winner will be randomly drawn and notified by email, and will have 24 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen.