3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies

Initially I tried this recipe as kind of a science experiment because the ingredient list didn't look right to me.  Cookies without flour?  I tried it and not only did it work but the cookies were delish!  I am not kidding.  You must try this recipe for yourself!

1 C. Peanut Butter
1 C. Sugar
1 Egg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix all ingredients together with an electric mixer.  Form into 1" balls, set balls on cookie sheet, then press with a fork to get the traditional look of peanut butter cookies.  Bake 8 minutes.  Let the cookies cool for at least 3 minutes before removing to cooling racks.  Makes 15-20 cookies.

Andes Mint Cookies

Yum.  I love mint.  These cookies are simple and delicious.  Try them, you won't be disappointed.

1 C. Butter
3/4 C. Sugar
1 C. Brown Sugar
2 Eggs
1T. Vanilla
3/4 tsp. Salt
3/4 tsp. Soda
3 C. Flour
1 Bag Andes Mint Baking Bits

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cream together butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla.  Add salt, soda and flour.  Mix well then fold in the Andes bits.  Drop spoonfuls of batter onto a greased cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes.  Don't over bake, these cookies are not supposed to get very brown.  Cool for 2 minutes on cookie sheet then move to a cooling rack.  

Oatmeal Coconut Cookies

In the back to school spirit, I am posting these cookies which are perfect for an after school snack.  I got this recipe from a friend who brought them over after I had my baby.  These are in my top three favorite cookies and, with 6 C. of oats in the recipe, they are a pretty healthy cookie too. The recipe made 10 dozen cookies for me so just remember that when you are looking over the amounts of everything needed for this recipe and don't forget to use your largest mixing bowl!  You're going to need some freezer bags too unless you're very, very hungry!

2 C. Butter
2 C. Brown Sugar
2 C. White Sugar
2 tsp. Vanilla
4 Eggs
3 C. Sifted White Flour (you can do 1/2 white, 1/2 wheat)
2 tsp. Salt
2 tsp. Baking Soda
6 C. Quick Oats
1 1/2 C. Coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cream butter and sugars together until fluffy.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Mix well then add all dry ingredients.  Bake on a greased cookie sheet for 10-15 minutes depending on how crisp you like your cookies.  The dough can be refrigerated for a couple of days and the baked cookies freeze very well. 

Raspberry Oatmeal Bars

I was looking for a quick, easy cookie recipe yesterday and found this one.  It takes about 10 minutes to throw these together and there are amazingly good.  They taste kind of like a really good breakfast bar but it has a crunchy streusel topping that makes these simply delcious.  They are unlike any cookie I have made before.  Take 30 minutes out of your day today to make these and tell me what you think!

3/4 C. Butter, softened
1 C. Packed Brown Sugar
1 1/2 C. Oats (Quick or Rolled)
1 1/2 C. Flour
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
1 C. Raspberry Jam (Bottled jam not freezer jam)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Combine butter and sugar in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer for about 1 minute until mixture is light and fluffy.  Add oats, flour, salt, and baking soda to bowl and mix with a spoon until crumbly.  Press a little over half the mixture into the bottom of a greased 8x12 or 9x13 pan.  Spread jam over oat mixture.  Sprinkle the remaining oat mixture evenly over top of jam with your hands.  Bake 20 minutes and cool completely before cutting and serving.  Makes 20-24 bars.     

Beth's Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

I love these cookies! I remember having them at Beth's house and I could not believe that they were 100% whole wheat! I also love that they have oats in them because I love oatmeal cookies. These are now my favorite cookies.


1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
10 TBS butter (softened)
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups oats
1/2 bag of chocolate chips

Cream sugar and butter. Then add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Add all dry ingredients and mix. Stir chocolate chips in with a wooden spoon. Roll in 1 inch ball and bake @ 350 for 10 minutes.

Blonde Brownies

Oh, this cookie is good.  It is soft and chewy even on the very edges.  It is kind of like eating cookie dough.  I know it requires a lot of each ingredient but it makes an entire cookie sheet full (24-32 servings depending on how you cut them) so I always end up with a huge bag in my freezer for later.  I love having treats like this in my freezer for unexpected chocolate cravings.

1 1/3 C. Butter
4 C. Brown Sugar
4 C. Flour
2 tsp. Salt
2 tsp. Baking Powder
4 Eggs
4 tsp. Vanilla
2 C. Chocolate Chips

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Melt butter then add sugar, vanilla and eggs.  Add remaining ingredients except chocolate chips.  Grease a jelly roll pan (the large metal cookie sheets) with cooking spray.  Spread cookie dough into pan evenly then sprinkle with chocolate chips.  Bake for 35 minutes.  Cool at least 30 minutes before cutting. 

Oatmeal sandwich cookies

I love oatmeal cookies, but always had a hard time finding the right recipe. These are awesome! Frosting just makes them better!


Cookies
1/2 cup crisco
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp vanilla
4 eggs whites
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3 cups oats

Cream crisco, butter and sugar. Add vanilla and egg whites and mix. Next add flour, baking soda, and oats. Mix well. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 8 minutes. Let cool 30 second before removing.

Frosting

1/4 cup butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
milk

Beat butter with electric mixer then add sugar and vanilla while mixing. Add milk until desired consistency.

Gingersnaps

This is the last cookie I am making for my friend/neighbor gifts.  About a month ago I tried to make gingersnaps without using shortening.  I substituted butter but they spread like crazy and turned out like flat disks.  A total flop.  I really try to avoid using shortening in recipes because of the trans fat issue.  But, if you want to make gingersnaps your going to have to bite the bullet like I did and use it anyway.  These cookies just don't turn out without it.  They are super good cookies, crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle.  I added white chocolate chips to mine.  

Today I also baked my favorite, favorite cookie ever, Carmel Cookies.  They have a rolo baked into the center.  I posted about it the day we started this blog so, in case you missed it, here is a link.

2 C. Flour
1 T. Ginger
2 tsp. Baking soda
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1/2 tsp. Salt
3/4 C. Shortening
1 C. White sugar
1 Egg
1/4 C. Molasses
1/3 C. Cinnamon Sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix together flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.  In a separate mixing bowl, whip shortening until smooth then add sugar, egg, and molasses and whip until fluffy.  Add dry ingredients and mix until a soft dough forms.  Roll into 1-1 1/2" balls.  Roll each ball in cinnamon and sugar then place on greased cookie sheet.  Bake 9-10 minutes. 

Andes Mint Cookies

This is the next installment in my Christmas cookie posts.  I am behind but I am determined to get all my gifts out by the end of the week and I still have three more kinds of cookies to bake!  That means you can expect a few more cookie recipes.  Including this one which is one of my favorites.  It is perfect for Christmas.  I tried these cookies last year and was very impressed.  The presentation is awesome with the swirly brown and green mint on top.  They are chewy and really, really chocolaty.

3/4 C. Butter
1 1/2 C. Brown Sugar
2 T. Water
2 C. Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
2 Eggs
2 1/2 C. Flour
1 1/4 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 pkg. Andes Mints

Heat butter, sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat until melted and then add the chocolate chips. Stir until chocolate is melted and smooth. Cool for 10 minutes. Pour into a mixing bowl and beat in the 2 eggs. Next add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix together and chill for about 45 minutes. Roll into balls (like 1 - 1 1/2 inches big), flatten slightly, and place on cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 9-10 minutes.  When cookies come out of the oven, place an Andes mint on top of each cookie and allow to melt for a few minutes. Swirl the melted chocolate like icing with the back of a spoon. Allow to cool until chocolate on top hardens. Yields 3 dozen beautiful, chocolaty, delicious cookies!

Derrick's Favorite Cookies

We only have 1 brother, Derrick.  He has been adored and loved and smothered with affection since his first days in our family.  My mom tells stories of him waking up from naps and all three of us girls running to him excitedly as if it had been weeks or months since we had last seen him.  That's how it has always been.  Ask any of us girls and we'll be happy to tell you how brilliant, sensitive, and pretty darn close to perfect he is.  Only a person who is truly loved could have a cookie named after him.  This cookie is simply the best chocolate chip cookie ever.  Moist, chewy, ultra chocolaty, the perfect balance of sweetness in my opinion.  

1 lb. Butter
1 1/2 C. Sugar
2 C. Brown Sugar
3 Eggs
2 T. Vanilla
1 1/2 tsp. Salt
1 1/2 tsp. Soda
6 C. Flour
4 C. Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all wet ingredients together until well blended.  Add dry ingredients and mix well.  Fold in chocolate chips.  Drop tablespoon sized amounts of dough onto a greased cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes.  The secret to these cookies (and every other cookie that I know of) is not to bake it too long.  My mom always bakes these for 8 minutes.  When you take them out they do not look done but after they cool....heaven.   This recipe makes 6-7 dozen cookies depending on size.  I usually freeze several dozen in freezer bags.

White Chocolate and Cranberry Cookies

These are the perfect cookies for Christmas with the bright red cranberries peaking through the white cookie dough.  I was reluctant to try these after reading the recipe and seeing that it used a white cake mix.  I have tried cake mix cookies before and have been less than impressed.  These, however, did not disappoint in the least.  They are pretty and taste great.  They have a strong vanilla flavor as you would expect with a white cake mix but I loved that.  I used white chocolate chips in mine but you can substitute macadamia nuts if you would prefer those.

1 White Cake Mix
1/4 C. Flour
1/4 C. Water
1/2 C. Oil
1 Egg
1/2 C. Craisins
1/2 C. White Chocolate Chips or Macadamia Nuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix all ingredients except the chocolate chips together.  Fold in chocolate chips.  These cookies spread quite a bit so only put about a teaspoon of dough per cookie on the cookie sheet.  Bake for 10-12 minutes or until just barely browned. 

Snickers Cookies

I like to spread my Christmas baking out over several weeks so I don't feel pressure and stress about something that can be so much fun.  This year I am making only cookies.  I will be stacking the cookies and rolling them in Christmas cellophane to hand out to friends and neighbors.  We like to deliver our gifts during the first week of December before families start feeling grossed out by sweets so I am baking ahead and freezing the cookies to be ready to put everything together right after Thanksgiving.

Today I made two kinds of cookies.  This is the first one: Snickers Cookies and trust me when I tell you that you will love these.  It is a basic peanut butter cookie dough that is wrapped around a Snickers miniature.  Check out the picture at the bottom- I couldn't resist showing you the oozing caramel and chocolate inside the cracks of the cookies.  Yum...

1/2 C. Sugar
1/2 C. Brown Sugar
1/2 C. Butter
1/2 C. Peanut Butter
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 Egg
1 1/2 C. Flour
1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
1/4 tsp. Salt
1 pkg. Snickers Miniatures (about 36)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine white sugar, brown sugar, butter, and peanut butter in a medium sized mixing bowl.  Add egg and vanilla and mix.  Combine all dry ingredients and then mix into peanut butter mixture.  Using about a tablespoon of dough, roll into a ball then press a deep indentation into the dough with your thumb.  Place a snickers into the indentation and wrap the rest of the dough around the candy.  Roll around in your hands to get a good seal or the candy will melt and ooze out during baking.  Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet and bake for 12-13 minutes.  (The cookies seemed very, very small to me so just before pulling them out of the oven I used my small spatula and pressed down on the tops of the cookies to spread them out a bit while they were still hot.)  Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet for 3 minutes before removing to cooling rack or parchment paper. 

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies

I couldn't find a recipe that had all the ingredients I wanted so I combined two recipes! This recipe was the result.

1/2 c. butter

1/2 c. shortening

1 c. peanut butter

1 c. sugar

1 c. brown sugar

2 eggs

1 t. vanilla

2 1/2 c. flour

1 1/2 t. baking soda

1 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

1/2 c. oats

2 c. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat butter, shortening, peanut butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla until well blended. Stir together dry ingredients. Add to wet ingredients a cup at a time. Stir in chocolate chips. Roll into balls and smash slightly on a cookie sheet. Bake for 8 min or until set.

Chocolate Banana Cookies

My kids got a little burned out on banana bread at the beginning of the school year after I froze 3 dozen banana muffins for quick breakfasts.  We had them a couple of times a week for several weeks in a row.  Consequently, I had to come up with other ways to use those over ripe bananas on my counter and this is one of the recipes I found that I my kids have liked.  This recipe makes about 2 dozen cookies so you are bound to have left overs.  Because of the banana, these cookies will get mushy and too soft if you store them in an air tight container.  Last time I made them I just left them on my counter on a plate uncovered and they were great the next day.  You could also cover them lightly with saran wrap.

1 C. Mashed Bananas (2 medium bananas)
1 C. Sugar
1/2 C. Butter, melted
1 Egg
1/2 tsp. Vanilla
2 C. Flour (I used white wheat flour)
1/2 C. Cocoa
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1/4 tsp. Salt
3/4 C. Coarsely Chopped Nuts (I used walnuts)
1/2 C. Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease cookie sheet(s).  Set aside.  In a mixer, combine bananas, sugar, butter, egg, and vanilla.  Beat together until well blended.  Add in all dry ingredients except nuts and choc. chips. Beat at low speed until a soft dough forms.  Stir in nuts and chocolate chips by hand.  Drop dough in heaping tablespoons onto cookie sheet and bake for 14 minutes.  Let cookies cool for 5 minutes or longer before removing to cooling racks or cookies will fall apart.

The BEST Sugar Cookies!

Decorating sugar cookies seems to be apart of every major holiday.  We baked and decorated Halloween cookies tonight with our kids.  They were so so yummy.  The kids had more frosting than cookie of course.  Scott and I are always amazed when we bite into these cookies at the difference a little lemon flavor makes.  That is the secret ingredient in this recipe- lemon extract.  I love the addition and I keep lemon extract on hand always because you never know when you need a batch of sugar cookies, right?

 3/4 C. Butter or Margarine

1 C. Sugar

2 Eggs

1/2 tsp. Lemon Extract

2 1/2 C. Flour

1 tsp. Baking Powder

1 tsp. Salt

Cream butter and sugar together.  Add eggs and lemon extract.  Add dry ingredients and blend well.  Chill for at least 1 hour.  Roll out dough to about 1/4 inch or so on a lightly floured surface and use cookie cutters to cut out cookies.  Put them on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 8 minutes.  When cookies come out of the oven let them cool for 2-3 minutes before moving them to cooling racks or paper towels. Remember:  Don't roll them too thin! 

 

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

When my children were little I experimented with a lot of chocolate chip cookie recipes. I tweaked this one until I got it just the way I like them, crisp on the out side and soft in the middle.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoom baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup oatmeal
6 oz. chocolate chips

In a mixing bowl, stir together first six ingredients. Add shortening, egg, and vanilla. Beat well. Stir in oats and chocolate chips. Roll into balls and dip tops in granulated sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. bake @ 375 for 8-10 minutes.
This makes about 1 1/2 dozen.

Caramel Cookies

These cookies are DEVINE!  I love them, I think about them in my spare time. Really.  These are some of the best cookies I have ever had (chewy, chocolaty, with a caramel center...yum) and they are beautiful too which is an added bonus.  I took these to Beth's house recently for a special get together.  I was so happy to have an excuse to make these.  Try them, you won't be disappointed! 

2 1/2 C. Flour 
3/4 c. unsweetened cocoa

1 tsp. baking soda

1 c. sugar

1 c. firmly packed brown sugar

1 c. softened butter

2 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

1 c. chopped nuts

48 Rolos

1 tbsp. sugar

1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Combine flour, cocoa and baking soda. In a separate bowl, beat 1 cup sugar, brown sugar and butter until light. Add vanilla and eggs and mix well. Add to flour mixture and mix. Stir in 1/2 cup of the nuts.  Unwrap Rolos and shape about 1 tablespoon of dough around 1 Rolo, covering completely.  In a small bowl, combine remaining 1/2 cup pecans and 1 tablespoon sugar. Press one side of each ball into pecan mixture. Place nut side up, 2" apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 7 to 10 minutes or until set and slightly cracked. Cool 2 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet to cool on wire rack. Put the white chocolate chips into a plastic sandwich bag and microwave 10 seconds at a time until melted, squishing the bag after each 10 second interval to mix the chocolate.  Snip off the very tip of one corner of the bag and use it like a decorator bag to drizzle chocolate over the cookies.  Allow to cool at least 1 hour to set chocolate before removing to a serving plate.