Chewy Gingersnaps

Chewy Gingersnaps

1 cube butter                                                                                      1/2 tsp. salt

1 c. sugar                                                                                            1 tsp. ground ginger

1 egg                                                                                                   3/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 c molasses                                                                                     1/2 tsp. cloves

2 c. flour                                                                                              2 tsp. soda

Cream butter with sugar, then add all other ingredients. Roll into balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Gently press down one time with a fork. Bake for 6-8 minutes at 350 degrees. Let cool on cookie sheet.

Fluffy Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is the recipe I usually make using butter for half the shortening.  You have to have butter in chocolate chip cookies!  So, you have to adjust the flour or the cookies will be flatter than a pancake. I also a mix semi-sweet and milk chocolate chips – I just love milk chocolate!

3 cups flour (instead of the orig recipe’s 2-1/4 C)                              

 ¾ cup brown sugar

1 tsp baking soda                                                                             

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp salt                                                                                             
2 eggs

½ cup shortening (orig recipe calls for 1 C shortening)     

12 oz package chocolate chips (I use half milk and half semi-sweet chocolate chips – a cup each; white chips are good too!)

½ cup butter (a must)   

¾ cup granulated sugar                                                                 

1 cup chopped nuts (optional)                                                                                                                 

                                                                                               

In small bowl combine, flour, baking soda and salt.  Set aside.  Combine shortening, butter, sugars and vanilla; beat until creamy.  Beat in eggs.  Gradually add flour mixture.  Stir in chocolate chips.   Stir in nuts if used.  Drop by teaspoonful (or use your handy-dandy cookie dough scooper) onto ungreased cookie sheet.   (Or use parchment paper; it’s slick!)  Bake at 375 degrees for 9-11 minutes.  Do not over bake.

Note from original recipe:  “I like this recipe with different flavor combinations like butterscotch chips, chopped pecans and coconut or chocolate and peanut butter chips with or without nuts.)”  Go Wild!

Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

3/4 c. butter
1 c. brown sugar
 1/2 c sugar
 1 egg
 1 tsp. vanilla
 1 tsp. salt
 1 tsp cinnamon
 1 tsp. baking soda
 1/2 tsp. clove
 1-2 c. flour
 3 c. oats
 1 c. mashed bananas

 Mix butter, eggs sugars and bananas. Then add dry ingredients. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Carmelitta Bars

Carmelitta Bars

1 c. butter
 2 c. brown sugar
 2 eggs
 1 tsp. vanilla
 1 tsp. baking soda
 1 tsp. salt
 2 1/2 flour
 3 c. oats
 chocolate chips
 Litehouse Carmel Apple Dip

 Mix butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, soda, salt flour and oats together. Add in about a cup or more of chocolate chips. Spread 3/4 of the cookie mixture on a greased 12*9 baking dish. Then spread the Carmel dip over the cookie batter and place the remaining cookie batter on top. Your fingers are going to get a little messy, but don't worry you can lick them right off.

 Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Best Sugar Cookies Ever

Sugar Cookies

1 c. shortening
2 c. sugar
3 eggs
1 c. sour cream
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
4 to 5 c. flour

Mix all ingredients together in order as listed. I like to refrigerate the dough for a little while, but it is not necessary. Roll dough out and cut into shapes. Bake at 350 degrees for 6 minutes.

Pumpkin Cookies

1/2 c. butter

1 1/2 c. sugar

2 eggs

1 c. pumpkin

2 1/2 c. flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. cinnamon

chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.  Add eggs and mix well.  Stir dry ingredients together and add alternately with pumpkin to creamed mixture.  Add vanilla.  Add chocolate chips.  Drop by teaspoonfuls, or tablespoonfuls onto a lightly greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Toasted Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are my favorite cookies. Period. The end.

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup butter

2 1/4 cups bread flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 egg

1 egg yolk

2 tablespoons half-and-half, cream, or milk

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups toasted coconut

1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a small saucepan, melt butter. Sift flour, salt, and baking soda together and set aside. Add melted butter to both sugars in a mixing bowl and mix until thick and caramel-like. In a small bowl, whisk egg, yolk, half-and-half, and vanilla together. Add egg mixture to butter/sugar mixture and mix for about a minute until well combined. Slowly add in flour mixture, followed by the toasted coconut and chocolate chips, stirring well after each one.

Use a 1/4 cup measurer for each cookie, fitting six cookies to a sheet. (They don't taste as good if you make them smaller.) Bake for 10 minutes, or until slightly browned around the edges and on top.

HINT: Toast sweetened shredded coconut in a nonstick pan over medium heat on the stovetop. Stir constantly and remove from heat when coconut is mostly toasted. It will continue to cook in the hot pan, so err on removing it from the heat early rather than later.

Fluffy Sugar Cookies

3 1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon soda
1 cup sugar
 1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup sour cream

Mix flour, soda, and salt in a mixing bowl. Set aside. Cream together butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla in a large bowl. Add sour cream. Mix in dry ingredients. Roll out on a floured board about 1/2 inch thick. Don't get them too thin. Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 8 minutes at 400 degrees. Watch closely as they bake. They brown quickly and can burn easily.

Frosting

2 pounds powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 cup shortening
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1/4 tsp. salt
1 egg white
3-4 T. milk

Beat for 7 minutes on low adding the sugar slowly.

Super Easy Soft Sugar Cookies

Mix: 4 c. flour, 1 c. shortening, 1 Tbsp. baking powder

Mix the following and then add flour mixture: 1 c. sugar, 2 beaten eggs, ½ tsp. vanilla, 1 tsp. baking soda, 1/3 c. milk

Mix together well and chill 1 hour. Roll and cut in desired shapes. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 350

Mint Oreo Rice Krispie Treats

Mint Oreo Rice Krispies

1/c cup butter
1-10.5 ounce package marshmallows
8 cups crispy rice cereal
20 Oreo sandwich cookies, crushed
1/2 teaspoon mint flavoring
1/2 teaspoon green food coloring
black & white icing (optional)

Directions
Prepare a 9×13 dish with cooking spray. Crush cookies in a sealed plastic bag and set aside. Melt butter in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add marshmallows and stir frequently until completely melted and smooth. Add mint flavoring and food coloring. Mix well and remove from heat. Add cereal and crushed cookies, mixing well with a sturdy spoon.  Transfer mixture to prepared pan and press evenly. Allow to cool before cutting into squares. Decorate with icing and serve.

Leftover Candy Cookies

Leftover Candy Cookies

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 large egg
1 1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup oats
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups chopped candy bars, any flavor or variety

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix butter, sugars, peanut butter, vanilla and egg until fluffy. Add flour, oats, baking soda and salt and combine until dough is blended. Stir in candy bar pieces evenly. Drop heaping spoonfuls onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges.

Tip: Because of the ooey-gooey nature of these cookies, I recommend using parchment paper to bake them. Once you remove the cookie sheet from the oven, you can easily lift the parchment paper directly onto your cooling rack. You’ll avoid messing up your cookies with a spatula while they are still gooey. Once the cookies are completely cooled, they will come off the parchment paper with no mess.

Coconut Macaroons

Coconut Macaroons

1 large bag (14 ounces) sweetened, shredded coconut
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 extra large egg whites, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the coconut, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, and almond extract with a spoon. In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer with a wire whisk to whip the egg whites and salt until you have medium-firm peaks. (Hint: It’s better to over-whip than under-whip, so if you’re in doubt, keep whipping.) Carefully fold the egg whites into the coconut mixture. Chill the dough for 10-15 minutes. Drop rounded tablespoons of the mixture onto a prepared cookie sheet (parchment or greased) and bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown. Cool and serve.

TIP: Take your macaroons to the next level with chocolate. Melt your favorite chocolate in a double boiler and dip half of the cooled macaroons in it, or drizzle chocolate over the top. Mmmm!

BONUS TIP: Store macaroons in the refrigerator for ultimate freshness.

No-Bake Rocky Road Cookies

No-Bake Rocky Road Cookies

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup (one stick) butter
4 tablespoons cocoa
1/2 cup milk
1 cup peanut butter
1 tablespoon vanilla
3 cups oatmeal
1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
1 cup chopped cashews
1 cup chocolate chips

Directions
In a heavy saucepan, bring the sugar, butter, cocoa, and milk to a boil. Allow it to boil for one minute, then add peanut butter and vanilla and stir until combined. Remove from heat. Stir in the oatmeal, marshmallows, nuts, and chocolate chips. With an ice cream scoop, form balls of dough and set on wax or parchment paper until cool.

Homemade Oreos

Homemade Oreos

1 package Devil’s Food cake mix
3/4 cup shortening
2 large eggs

Filling
8 ounces cream cheese
4 tablespoons butter, softened
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla or almond extract

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine shortening and eggs together with an electric mixer. Add cake mix and mix together until well combined. Roll rounded teaspoons in your hands to form soft dough balls, making sure they’re uniform in size. Bake for 8 minutes, careful not to overcook. Allow to sit for a minute before removing cookies to a cooling rack.

In a large mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, butter, and vanilla or almond flavoring until silky smooth. Add powdered sugar slowly until desired thickness is reached. When cookies are completely cooled, frost the underside of each cookie and make sandwiches.

Serve with a tall glass of milk and a big smile.

Iced Orange Cookies

Iced Orange Cookies

2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Icing
3 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
Dash of ground ginger

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, mix butter and sugar together until creamy. Add eggs, orange peel, and juice and mix until well combined. Add in the remaining dry ingredients and mix well. Drop rounded teaspoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 6-8 minutes, or until lightly browned. In another mixing bowl, whisk all icing ingredients together until smooth. Cool cookies before icing.

HINT: Substitute lemon zest/peel and lemon juice for the orange counterparts in this recipe for an equally stunning cookie!

Chocolate-Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies

Chocolate-Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies

2 cups sugar
3 Tbsp cocoa
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter

Boil the above ingredients for 2 minutes (2 minutes is actually important -- too short and they won't set up, too long and they'll be dry and crumbly).  Remove from heat and add:

1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup peanut butter
pinch of salt
3 cups quick oats

Stir until all mixed together and drop by spoonfuls onto waxed paper.

Neverfail Sugar Cookies

Neverfail Sugar Cookies
(from The Mormon Cookbook 1963)

Cream together:

1 cup butter

1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs

Sift together:
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

Add to dry ingredients to creamed mixture and mix well. Refrigerate dough for 4 hours or overnight. Divide dough into 2 balls and roll out to a 1/4 inch thickness on a floured surface. Cut out cookies and bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees. Allow cookies to cool then decorate with Butter Cream Icing.

Butter Cream Icing

1/2 cup butter

Cream together butter, extract, and powdered sugar. Gradually add milk to desired consistency. (Remember: using liquid food coloring will thin the frosting, so leave the base a little thicker than you want it to be.)

2 cups powdered sugar
1/8 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

This recipe makes about 30 cut out cookies.