Kickin' Oatmeal Cookies

adapted slightly from Josi Kilpack's book Key Lime Pie - love the series!

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
2 1/2 cups oats
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
dash cayenne pepper
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Cream butter and sugar by hand.  Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla.  Mix well until combined.  Combine dry ingredients in another bowl.  Add to wet ingredients by the half-cup; stir until combined.  Add chips and mix.

Drop by Tablespoon (or 1-inch scoop) on a Silpat-lined baking sheet, about two inches apart.  (These guys spread a bit!)  Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until just browned.  Don't overbake!  Allow to cool 2 minutes on cookie sheet before moving to cooling rack.

Makes approximately 3 dozen.

*can also use Craisins, or a combination of any of these.

Oreo Cookie Suckers

so easy, and SO good!

You need:
Oreos - your favorite flavor
Candy melts
Sucker sticks
Decorations as needed

Melt candy melts as directed on package.
Carefully separate each cookie, then dip sucker stick in candy melts and place on cookie filling.  Replace the cookie top and set on wax-paper covered baking sheet to firm up.  Repeat with all cookies.
Dip cookie suckers into bowl of candy melts; allow excess candy to drip off, then place back on wax paper.  Immediately sprinkle with any decorations you want, or allow to cool if you're going to drizzle contrasting color over top.  Repeat with remaining cookie suckers.
Done!

These work well for any holiday, or for any activity you can think of.  So many endless combinations!

So Good Cookies!

so I don't really have a name for these, but I can't describe how much I love these cookies!! bought them at a church dessert auction last Saturday, ate FOUR on Sunday (and I'm not even supposed to have sugar!), then tracked down the recipe from Kristyn (Ritchey) Merkley. Then I made them the next morning (and didn't even eat any, but gave them to my willing taste testers). THANK YOU!

1½ cups brown sugar
1½ cups sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup oil (vegetable, canola, coconut, etc.)
3 eggs
1½ teaspoons baking soda
1½ teaspoons baking powder
1½ teaspoons salt
1½ teaspoons vanilla
4½ cups flour
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips
more of each chip if desired!

Cream sugars with butter and oil. By hand. Add eggs and beat until fluffy. Add remaining ingredients. Shape into rough balls, then bake at 350ºF for 8-10 minutes or until golden.

I got almost 6 dozen cookies here. Not too small, not too big - about 2 inches in diameter, I'd guess.

Crownies

adapted from a recipe on Picky Palate and one on Prudence Pennywise (name is a combination of cookies and brownies - Picky Palate called hers brookies, but I didn't want to totally steal her recipe!)

2 cups sugar
1 cup butter, softened
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sour cream
6 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter
9 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chip
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup flour

8 ounces caramels, unwrapped
1 1/2 Tablespoons milk


In a Bosch or Kitchen Aid or the like, cream the softened butter and sugar. Add eggs, vanilla and sour cream until well-combined. Add the baking powder, soda and salt, then add one cup of flour at a time, mixing after each addition.

Separate dough into two batches, wrapping each batch in plastic wrap. Chill for at least two hours for best results.

About 30 minutes before dough is chilled, melt butter and chocolate, stirring often. Mix in sugar. Add eggs and mix well until combined. Add vanilla and salt. Stir in flour until completely mixed. Place batter in freezer for about 20 minutes to harden.

Preheat oven to 350F.

Once both sets of dough are hardened, cut each disc of sugar cookie dough into thirds. Roll each section into a 1/8-inch thick rectangle - about 12x5 inches. Spread about 1/2 a cup of brownie batter over the cookie dough. Starting with the long side of the rectangle, roll everything into a log. Using a sharp knife, cut off 1/2-inch slices of dough.

Line mini-muffin tin with liners, then place one slice of dough into each. If your dough isn't firm enough and starts to ooze, place in the fridge for 5-10 minutes to harden. (This is recommended for all the slices that aren't baking, anyway.)

Bake at 350F for 15 minutes, or until brownie batter is baked.

Remove cookies from tins and let cool on a rack. When all cookies are baked and cooled, melt caramels in microwave with milk until smooth - approximately 1 minute. Spoon melted caramel into small ziploc bag or pastry bag without a tip. Cut a small corner off bag and drizzle over cookies. Best served warm.

ETA: although these are a little labor-intensive, they're relatively simple. However, if you'd like to make them even more simple, I suppose you could try buying a roll of Pillsbury sugar cookie dough plus a box of 8x8 brownie mix. Roll out the cookie dough after cutting it in half (or so - I'm totally estimating here), and spread the prepared brownie mix over top, then follow the same instructions as above... don't know how it would turn out, but it seems feasible! NOT as good, though, of course. : )

Peanut Butter Blossoms

long-time family favorite!

½ cup shortening
½ cup peanut butter
½ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 Tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1¾ cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar
1 bag Hershey kisses

Cream shortening and peanut butter. Gradually add sugars. Add unbeaten egg, milk and vanilla. Beat well. Blend in dry ingredients. Mix thoroughly.

Shape by rounded spoonfuls into balls. Roll in a ziploc bag with 1 cup white sugar in it. Place on cookie sheet lined in parchment paper.

Bake 7 to 8 minutes. Press kisses into cookie so cookie cracks around edge. Return to oven for 2 to 5 minutes more, until the chocolate kiss begins to melt.

*can replace kisses with a chocolate candy melt if you need to easily transport these.

Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies

2 sticks butter, softened
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 Tablespoons vanilla
1 package cook and serve vanilla pudding
2 cups brown sugar
4 cups flour
2 cups chocolate chips

By hand, mix all ingredients except flour in large bowl. Once creamy, add flour. Stir until combined, then add chocolate chips. Shape into walnut-sized balls and bake at 350F for 11 minutes or until no longer shiny.

Cheesecake Chocolate Chip Cookies

Adapted slightly from Tasty Kitchen. A HUGE hit today at church!

1 cup butter, softened (no substitutes)
¾ cups sugar
¾ cups brown sugar
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
2¼ cups plus 2 Tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1¼ cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Cream butter and sugars by hand until nice and creamy.

Add cream cheese and continue to mix until all lumps are gone and it is nice and smooth.

Add vanilla and egg and mix.

Slowly add flour, a little at a time. Add baking soda and salt and mix well, but not too much!

Add the chocolate chips.

Scoop cookie dough by the rounded tablespoon onto a cookie sheet; make sure they aren’t too close though!

Bake for 9-11 minutes.

Cool on a rack and once they are all the way cool, put into a plastic bag or container and keep in the fridge. (Be careful they don't spoil since they have cream cheese in them.)

Makes approximately 4 dozen cookies

Soft & Chewy Chocolate Drops

adapted from Baker's

4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
3/4 cups butter
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2-1/2 cups flour
8 ounces Cool Whip, frozen
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate

Cookies:
Preheat oven to 350F. Microwave chocolate and butter in large bowl on High for 2 minutes or until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Stir in sugar. Blend in eggs and vanilla by hand. Add flour; mix well by hand. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour or until easy to handle.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls; place 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets.

Bake 8 minutes or just until set. Do not overbake. Let stand on baking sheet 1 minute; transfer to wire racks. Cool completely.

Glaze topping:
Place Cool Whip and chocolate in bowl. Microwave on High 1 minute. Stir. Microwave 30 seconds or until chocolate is melted and mixture is shiny and smooth. Let stand 15 minutes to thicken. Spread over cookies. Let stand until glaze is set.

Makes approximately 60 cookies.

Classic Oatmeal Butterscotch Chip Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups flour
2 3/4 cups oatmeal
2 cups butterscotch chips (or 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate and 1 cup butterscotch)

In a large bowl cream together the butter and sugars BY HAND. Add eggs and vanilla and stir until combined. Add baking soda, powder, cinnamon and salt and mix. Add flour, oatmeal, and chips. Mix until combined. Roll into balls and bake at 350ºF for 10-12 minutes.

Thick and Chewy Gingerbread Cookies

found on My Kitchen Cafe. These are wonderful! Just like the name says - thick and chewy.

3 cups (15 ounces) flour
¾ cup packed (5 ¼ ounces) dark brown sugar
¾ teaspoon baking soda
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 Tablespoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons butter softened to room temperature (but not warm!), cut into 12 pieces
¾ cup light or dark molasses
2 Tablespoons milk

With an electric mixer, stir together the flour, brown sugar, soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt at low speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Stop the mixer and add the butter pieces. Mix at medium-low speed until the mixture is sandy and resembles fine meal, 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and with the mixer running, gradually add the molasses and milk; mix until the dough is evenly moistened about 20 seconds. Increase the speed to medium and mix until thoroughly combined, about 10 seconds.

Scrape the dough onto a work surface and divide it in half. Working with one portion at a time, roll the dough ¼ inch thick between 2 large sheets of parchment or wax paper. Leaving the dough sandwiched between the parchment or wax paper, stack the dough on a baking sheet and freeze until firm, 15 to 20 minutes. (Alternatively, refrigerate the dough for 2 hours or overnight.)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat liners.

Remove one dough sheet from the freezer and place on the counter. Peel off the top parchment or wax paper sheet. Gently cut the dough into 5-inch gingerbread people or 3-inch gingerbread cookies, transferring the shapes to the prepared baking sheets with a wide metal spatula and spacing them ¾ inch apart. Set the scraps aside. Repeat with the remaining dough until the baking sheets are full. Because flour is not added during rolling, dough scraps can be rolled and cut as many times as necessary.

Bake the cookies until set in the centers and the dough barely retains and imprint when touched very gently with fingertip, 8 to 9 minutes. Do not overbake!! Cool the cookies on the sheets 2 minutes, then remove the cookies with a wide metal spatula to a wire rack; cool to room temperature. Gather the scraps; repeat the rolling, cutting and baking. Frost as desired (I used a ziploc bag filled with simple white icing).

Store soft gingerbread in a wide, shallow airtight container or tin with a sheet of parchment paper between the cookie layers. These cookies are best eaten within one week.

Fudge Crinkles

1 box Devils Food cake mix
2 eggs
½ cup canola oil
powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Mix together first 3 ingredients. Dust hands with powdered sugar then roll dough into 1 inch balls. Roll in powdered sugar and place on greased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes. Don't overbake! They should puff up during baking and flatten with cooling.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Duo

adapted from Picky Palate

Peanut Butter Cookie
2 cups creamy peanut butter
2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs

Mix all ingredients together by hand until well combined. Set aside.

Chocolate Chip Cookie
2 sticks softened butter (1 Cup)
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 3/4 cups flour
1¼ cups cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Mix the butter and sugars by hand until well combined. Slowly beat in eggs and vanilla until well combined. Place flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt into a large bowl; mix with fork or sift. Add to wet ingredients along with chocolate chips until just combined.

Take a Tablespoon of peanut butter dough and a Tablespoon of chocolate dough and gently press together forming a "not so perfect" ball. Don't press and roll too much; just stick them together and place onto a silpat- or parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until cookies are cooked through to your liking. Let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Pudding Cookies

4½ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1½ cups butter (3 sticks) softened
1½ cups brown sugar, packed
½ cup white sugar
2 (3.4 oz.) pkgs. instant vanilla pudding
4 eggs, room temp
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups of add-ins you want to use like chocolate/butterscotch/peanut butter/white chocolate chips, candy bars, m&m's, nuts, etc.


Preheat oven to 350ºF. Stir together flour and baking soda in seperate bowl and set aside; in a large bowl, cream butter, brown and white sugar. Beat in pudding mix until well blended. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. When smooth, slowly add in the flour mixture. This can take a little while, but make sure it's well incorporated into mix.

Finally, add the "fillers". Roll into balls and bake for 8-12 minutes or until golden.

My Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

2/3 cup shortening
2/3 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
3½ cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 bag chocolate chips

Cream butter, shortening, and sugars together. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Add soda, salt, and flour and mix until combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Bake at 375ºF on an ungreased cookie sheet for 8 to 10 minutes. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

*Try all white chocolate chips, or a mix of your favorites.

Candy Cane Cookies

from Sandra Lee

1 Sugar Cookie Mix (Betty Crocker)
½ Stick butter (melt for 20 sec. in microwave)
1 egg
1/3 cup soft cream cheese
½ cup flour
Red Food Coloring
½ teaspoon peppermint extract

Combine first 5 ingredients in large mixing bowl until well blended. Split dough in half and place in separate bowls. Add almost a whole container of red food coloring to one half of dough and mix very well so the dye is spread throughout. Add the peppermint extract to the other half of the dough and mix well. For each cookie you will need about a 1-inch ball of peppermint dough and a 1-inch ball of red dough rolled into ¼-inch wide ropes about 4 inches long. Twist together and shape into a candy cane. Bake at 325ºF for 12 minutes.

Fluffy Pumpkin Cookies

cookie:
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup pumpkin
3/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 egg

frosting:
¼ cup butter
1 box powder sugar
1 package cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla
a little bit of milk


Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, baking soda and cinnamon
add pumpkin, butter and egg. Beat until smooth. Bake at 325ºF for about 10-12 minutes. Do not overbake.

Dark Chocolate Orange Crackles

2½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
8 ounces unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa, sifted if lumpy
2 tsp finely grated orange zest
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 large eggs
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled until barely warm
¾ cup (4 oz.) chopped chocolate (your choice)
1/3 cup granulated sugar; more as needed


1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Line three large cookie sheets with parchment or nonstick baking liners.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer), beat the butter, brown sugar, cocoa, orange zest, and vanilla on medium speed until well combined, about 4 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating briefly between additions. Add the cooled chocolate and mix until blended, about 1 minute. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until almost completely blended, about 1 minute. Add the chopped chocolate and mix until blended, about 15 seconds.
3. Shape the dough into 1¼-inch balls with a small ice-cream scoop or two tablespoons. (The balls of dough may be frozen for 1 month. Thaw them overnight in the refrigerator before proceeding with the recipe.)
4. Pour the granulated sugar into a shallow dish. Dip the top of each ball in the sugar and set the balls sugar side up about 1½ inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets. Bake one sheet at a time until the cookies are puffed and cracked on top, 11 to 12 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a rack to cool completely.

Yield: About 5 dozen cookies

Blue and White Oatmeal Chippers

adapted from Picky Palate

1 cup softened unsalted butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2¼ cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1¼ cup quick oats
1½ cups fresh or frozen blueberries (frozen are best)
1 bag white chocolate chips (12oz)

1. In a stand mixer, cream the butter, brown sugar and sugar until well combined. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Slowly add flour, baking soda, salt, quick oats, blueberries and chocolate chips until just combined.
2. Chill dough for a few hours until firm.
3. Preheat oven to 375ºF. Drop or scoop dough by the Tablespoonfuls onto a baking sheet and Bake for 9-11 minutes or until edges start to crisp. Cool for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

Soft Perfect Sugar Cookies

2 Cups sugar
1 Cup butter, softened
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 Cup sour cream
6 Cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt

1. In an electric or stand mixer, cream the sugar and butter. Add eggs, vanilla and sour cream until well combined. Slowly add in the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt until well combined.
2. In 2 or 3 batches, place in between two sheets of plastic wrap and roll out to desired thickness. Keep in plastic wrap and chill for about 20 minutes for best results.
3. Once chilled, remove plastic wrap and cut into desired shapes. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes depending on how thick you cut your cookies. Remove and let cool. Frost and decorate as desired.