Snickerdoodles

 

The secret ingredient is cinnamon chips. Don't you think?!

1/2 c. butter, softened

1/2 c. shortening

1 1/2 c. white sugar

2 eggs, room temperature

2 tsp. vanilla extract

Blend the above ingredients with a mixer until the lumps are gone and it's fluffy.

2 3/4 c. flour

2 tsp. cream of tartar

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 c. cinnamon chips

Whisk the above ingredients in a separate bowl from the butter/sugar mixture, then add to the sugar/butter mixture all at once.  Stir together with wooden spoon until just combined.

3 Tbsp. white sugar

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Combine these two ingredients in a small bowl or measuring cup, then pour it onto a plate. Roll dough into balls and then roll the ball in the cinnamon/sugar mixture. Place the balls of dough two inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet (or use parchment paper).

Bake in a 400-degree oven for eight minutes. Be careful not to overbake, unless you really like crumb-y cookies.

Grandma Peggy's M & M Cookies

 

This is Mom's official cookie recipe for posterity and also because it's on a tiny piece of paper in an overstuffed recipe box hanging on for dear life :). Mom has written in pencil directions for tripling the recipe for obvious reasons. (This is not the tripled version.) Mom always bought the holiday M&Ms to use in her cookies. 

3/4 stick Crisco Baking Sticks Butter Flavor All-Vegetable Shortening

 

1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar

2 Tbsp. milk

1 Tbsp. vanilla extract

1 large egg

1 3/4 all purpose flour

1 tsp. salt

3/4 tsp. baking soda

6 oz. plain M & M (seasonal colors are the best)

Directions:

Heat oven to 375 degrees. 

Combine shortening, brown sugar, milk and vanilla in a large bowl. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended. Beat in egg. 

Combine flour, salt and baking soda. Mix into shortening mixture until just blended. Stir in M & Ms.

Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet (or cookie sheet lined with parchment paper). Bake 8-10 minutes for chewy cookies or 11-13 minutes for crisp cookies. 

Lemon Meringue Bars

This is genius.  From "Baking Bites"

Crust:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 tbsp lemon zest

3/4 cup butter, chilled and cut into chunks

Filling:

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp salt

4 large eggs

1 tbsp lemon zest

1/2 tsp baking powder

Meringue:

4 large egg whites

1/2 cup sugar

pinch salt

Preheat oven to 350F.
To make the crust, combine flour, sugar and lemon zest in the bowl of a food processor (or a large mixing bowl, if you prefer to work by hand). Pulse in butter (or rub in with fingertips) until butter is well distributed and the mixture resembles moist sand. Pour into a 9×13-inch baking dish and spread evenly. Press down to create a firm, even layer.
Bake for 20 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.

While crust is cooking, prepare the filling. Combine all filling ingredients in a large bowl and whisk together until smooth (can also be done in a food processor). When crust is done, pour filling into hot pan and return to oven.
Bake for about 17-20 minutes, until filling is set. Edges may be lightly browned, depending on the pan.

While filling is baking and getting close to finished, prepare the meringue. Beat egg whites to soft peaks in a large, clean mixing bowl, adding the sugar and salt in gradually while beating, beginning when the egg whites are foamy. Spread evenly onto hot, cooked filling and return pan to oven. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until lightly browned at the peaks.

Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing. Use a slightly damp knife to cut through the meringue cleanly when ready to cut into bars.

Makes 24 bars.

Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies

This recipe was no where to be found, until I looked on the back of the Hershey's Kiss bag. Voila!

1/2 cup shortening

3/4 cup peanut butter

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

2 T milk

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 salt

Hershey Kisses

additional granulated sugar

1. Heat oven to 375.

2. Beat shortening and peanut butter in a large bowl until well blended. Add white and brown sugars; beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture. 

3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll balls in granulated sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet. 

4. Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press an  unwrapped chocolate into the center of each cookie.

Peanut Butter-Chocolate Revel Bars

These are a definite favorite in our house!  Our girls thought they were called "Rebel" bars!  We are in the South, after all!

butter, minus 2 TBS

1 cup butter, softened  (minus 2 TBS)
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
3 cups quick rolled oats
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Set aside 2 tablespoons of the butter to use for another purpose, say, on toast or something.  In a large mixing bowl beat the remaining butter with a mixer until fluffy.  Add the brown sugar and baking soda.  Beat until combined, scraping the sides occasionally.    Beat in eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla until combined.  Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer.  I was able to do the whole amount.

Transfer mixture to a bowl to stir in oats.

 Transfer mixture to a bowl and stir in any remaining flour and the rolled oats.

Mixture should be smooth.

For filling, in a medium saucepan combine the peanut butter, chocolate chips, and sweetened condensed milk.  Cook over low heat until chocolate melts, stirring occasionally with a wire whisk. Be careful not to cook too long or the chocolate will scorch.  Remove from heat.

 Press two-thirds of the rolled oats mixture into the bottom of an non-greased baking dish. 

 

Spread chocolate filling evenly over oat mixture.  Dot remaining rolled oat mixture over chocolate filling to form a top crust.

Bake about 25 minutes, or until crust is light brown.  The chocolate filling will still look moist.  Cool pan on a wire rack, cut into bars and enjoy!

Cool pan on a wire rack.

Cut into bars.

Enjoy!

 

Grandma Edith Barlow's Frosted Butter Cookies

Megan Furniss Salvo with her Grandma Edith Barlow 2013

Mom's brother, Mark Furniss, married a really wonderful lady, Julie Barlow. Aunt Julie's mother, Edith Barlow, passed away a few months ago. She definitely left the world a better place and seemed to be living every minute of her life. Very inspiring. As I was cleaning out my office today I found a handwritten recipe of Edith's that is just barely legible. I'm going to post it here before it disappears completely! (The recipe is in my Grandma Furniss's handwriting. I like the idea of these two sweet grandmas exchanging recipes.) I remember having these cookies - they're memorable. :)

Wet Ingredients:

 

1/2 c. butter

1 1/2 c. brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 c. sour cream or 1 c. canned milk with juice of 1/2 a lemon

Dry Ingredients:

2 1/2 c. flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 c. nuts

Mix ingredients same as for a cake (mixing wet and dry ingredients separately, then adding dry ingredients to wet ingredients half a cup at a time, stirring between each half cup). Drop by spoonful onto a cookie sheet. Bake at 375 to 400 degrees for 10 minutes (AH! it looks like a 10... could be a 20).

Frosting:

3 T. butter melted to a golden brown

1 - 1 1/2 c. powdered sugar

2 2/3 T. hot water

2/3 tsp. vanilla

No instructions on this one. I'm guessing you beat this with a mixer. That's the funny thing about real cooks writing down recipes - they already know stuff.

Sugar Cookie Frosting/Glaze

Many months ago I posted a recipe for sugar cookies and I didn't post the frosting recipe.  Not cool.  Here is the frosting!  It's a glaze more than a frosting, so you have to frost your cookies soon after making it, otherwise it gets too stiff and lumpy.  I like to get a few little bowls and put a few scoops of glaze in each, then food coloring so I can have different colored cookies. 

2 c. powdered sugar

3 T. milk

2 T. cream cheese

Blend with a hand mixer until smooth.  Add food coloring and stir.  I like to use a small spoon and put a spoonful of glaze in the middle of the cookie, then spread the glaze to all the edges of the cookie with the back of the spoon.  Remember to cool the cookies first!

Gardiner Bars

These will take you right back to school lunch.  Courtesy of the Scott and Sarah Gardiner family test kitchen.
Cookie Base:
1 1/2 c flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups quick oats
3/4 cup salted butter
1 c packed light brown sugar
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter, divided
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract


Chocolate Frosting:
1/2 cup salted butter
2 Tbsp cocoa powder
1/4 c milk (pref 2% or whole)
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 1/2 c powdered sugar
pinch salt


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking soda, then whisk in quick oats, set aside.  In a new mixing bowl, whip together butter and sugars until pale and fluffy (about 3-5 minutes).  Blend in 3/4 c peanut butter.  Stir in eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition until combined.  Mix in vanilla.  With mixer set on low speed, slowly add in dry ingredients and mix until combined.  Spread cookie mixture in an even layer into a 15X11 rimmed cookie sheet (it will be fairly thin once spread).  Bake in preheated oven 13-15 minutes, until lightly golden.  REmove from oven and allow to cool 5 minutes, then dollop remaining 3/4 c peanut butter by the spoonfuls over peanut butter bars.  Aloow dolloped peanut butter to rest about 1 minute then carefully sperad peanut butter into and even layer over top.  Prepare chocolate frosting according to directions listed below and spread over peanut butter layer.  Allow to cool before cutting into squares.  Store in a single layer in an airtight container at room temperature.

Frosting Directions:
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Whisk in cocoa powder, then whisk in milk and bring mixture just to a boil.  Once mixture reaches a boil, remove from heat and stir in vanilla.  Add in powdered sugar and mix until well blended.  Immediately pour frosting over peanut butter layer and spread into and even layer (frosting sets quickly).

The Only Cookie

This recipe is so good I almost don't want to share it, but since I originally found it on the internet I figure it's fair game. The base is a chocolate chip cookie, the others were developed over extensive experimentation in my kitchen by Ethan and myself.   It is truly the only cookie recipe you ever need.  Ever.  There is no point even keeping any other cookie recipe around because this is perfection. People will think you are a genius. Because you are ;) You're welcome!

2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
*see below for alterations depending on your cookie needs


Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray the cookie sheet lightly with cooking spray only before the first batch.

Sift together dry ingredients and set aside.  

In a separate bowl, cream together melted butter and sugars until well blended.  Beat in egg, egg yolk, and vanilla until light and creamy.  Mix in dry ingredients until just blended.  

Drop cookie dough onto prepared cookie sheets.  This recipe works well for very big cookies or small.

Bake 12-15 minutes or until edges are lightly toasted. Cool on the baking sheet before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
________________________________________________________________


*For Chocolate Chip Cookies:  add 2 cups chocolate chips , blend by hand after adding dry ingredients

*For Snickerdoodles: add 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg to dry ingredients, roll cookie dough balls in cinnamon sugar before baking

*For Peanut Butter Cookies:  decrease butter to 1/3 cup and add 1/2 cup peanut butter (if the dough is too crumbly add more butter 1 tsp at a time until dough holds together)

*For Chocolate Cookies:  reduce flour to 1 1/2 cups and add 1/2 cup cocoa powder

* For Oatmeal Cookies:  reduce flour to 1 1/2 cups and add 1 cup rolled oats, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp ground cloves to the dry ingredients.  If dough is crumbly, add more butter one tsp at a time until the dough holds together.  If desired, add raisins and nuts totaling 2 cups per your preference after the dough is finished.

Holiday Cookies

I've made these enough times now that I know they are fool-proof.  For all you fools out there.  These cookies are the perfect texture and taste and they're easy to frost.  LOVE. I like to freeze one of the two discs of dough.  Bridget and I made cookies twice this month.  Double our pleasure. :)

Ingredients:

2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

3/4 c. superfine sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

16 T. unsalted butter, cut into sixteen 1/2-inch pieces and softened

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 T. cream cheese, softened

Directions:

1.  In a mixer with a paddle attachment, mix flour, sugar, and salt on low speed until combined.  With mixer running on low, add butter one piece at a time; continue to mix until mixture looks crumbly and slightly wet.  Add vanilla and cream cheese and mix on low until dough just begins to form large clumps.

2.  Remove bowl from mixer; knead dough by hand in bowl for two or three turns to form a large ball.  Turn dough onto counter top and divide in half, pat into two 4-inch discs, wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate until dough is firm but malleable, about 30 minutes.  (Don't skip the refrigeration!  Very important.)

3.  Heat oven to 375 degrees.  roll out one dough disc to an even 1/8 inch thickness.  Cut out with cookie cutters and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.  Bake for about 10 minutes.  Cool and frost.

Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies

Remember several years ago when every person you knew claimed to have THEE recipe for Neiman Marcus cookies.  Someone was super sneaky and got it through some black ops something.  Every time I see a recipe for the Neiman Marcus cookies it's different from the last one I saw.  These are supposedly Neiman Marcus cookies, but since I added black and white chocolate chips and walnuts, I decided to call them Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies.  They're my new favorite breakfast food and dessert!

1 c. unsalted butter, softened

1 c. sugar

1 c. brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

2 c. flour

2 1/2 c. oats, blended into a powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 pkg. white chocolate chips

1/2 pkg. milk chocolate chips

1 c. chopped walnuts

Combine all dry ingredients (flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder, salt) and set aside.  In a mixing bowl, combine butter, sugars, eggs, and vanilla.  Slowly add dry ingredients to the mixing bowl.  Mix in chocolate chips and nuts with dough hooks (if you're using a free standing mixer).  Bake for 10 minutes in a 375 degree oven. 

Peanut Butter Brownies

I have a good friend who makes the most sinful desserts. She brought one of my favorite treats to my baby shower yesterday and I so regret not being the one to put my "to go" plate together. I have no shame - I would have put all of the peanut butter brownies that were left on MY plate. MINE. (Mom put a big ol' thumb print in the last peanut butter brownie, so I cut a small section of it out and put it on one of Bridget's tea party plates. Doesn't it look HUGE? It's not. I popped it into my mouth a few seconds after taking this photo.)

1 1/2 c. butter, softened

1 1/2 c. white sugar

1 1/2 c. brown sugar

3 eggs

1 1/2 c. peanut butter (you can add up to 2 1/2 cups if you like)

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. salt

1 T. vanilla

Mix all of the above ingredients in a mixer. Then add:

3 c. flour

3 c. quick oats

Mix all together with hands and then put in a large, greased cookie sheet. Spread evenly with your hands. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 - 15 minutes or until outside edges start turning brown. Top with chocolate chips while the bars are still warm. Let them melt a little, then spread evenly.

3 c. powdered sugar

3/4 c. peanut butter

1 tsp. vanilla

Milk

Mix together, adding enough milk to make frosting consistency. Pour over the cooled chocolate chip layer of the brownies.

Big & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

They are evil and they must be destroyed. This is another recipe in the America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook. Best cookies I've ever made or tasted. Best. Ever. I had to take a nap after eating just one.

3 1/3 c. all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

16 T. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 1/4 c. packed brown sugar

1/2 c. granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 egg yolks

1 T. vanilla extract (yes, really a tablespoon - I was shocked too)

1 12-oz. bag semisweet chocolate chips (I used mini chips for the irony)

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl and set aside.

2. Beat the butter and sugars in a large bowl using an electric mixer on medium speed until combined. Beat in the eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla until combined, scraping down the bowl as needed.

3. Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly mix in the flour mixture until combined, about 30 seconds. Mix in the chocolate chips.

4. Working with a 1/4 cup of dough (!!!) at a time, roll the dough into balls (or just drop them on like I did) and lay on two parchment-lined baking sheets, spaced about 2 1/2 inches apart. Bake until the edges are golden but the centers are still soft and puffy, 17 to 20 minutes.

5. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes, then serve warm or transfer to a wire rack and let them cool completely.

Edible Cookie Dough

1 c. butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 Tbsp. water
2 c. all purpose flour
salt
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 c. chocolate chips

1.  Assemble and premeasure the ingredients.  Set the butter out to soften at room temperature.
2.  Cut the butter into chunks (my favorite word).  Place it and the brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer.  Beat on medium until smooth and creamy.
3.  Turn off the mixer.  Add the flour, water and vanilla.  Blend until mixed well.  Add the chocolate chips while the mixer is running.  Continue mixing 15 to 20 seconds until the chips are distributed throughout the dough.
4.  Use a melon baller to portion the dough onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet.  Place the dough balls in the freezer until firm.  Store in resealable plastic bags and enjoy as a snack.
5.  Make cookie dough ice cream (be still my heart) by blending a softened pint of good vanilla ice cream with 10 to 12 dough balls.  Allow the dough to break up throughout the ice cream.  Store the finished ice cream in the freezer.

Tips and Warnings:
- for a lighter flavor, use half brown sugar and half granulated sugar.
- this cookie dough is NOT suitable for baking.  It does not contain all the ingredients necessary to produce a proper cookie.

Hazelnut Tea Cookies

Remember a few months ago when I said I would post this recipe if the cookies were any good? They were fantastic. We ate them until they were gone and we were happy. Here's the recipe:

2 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. table salt

2 sticks butter, softened

1 c. powdered sugar, plus additional for coating

1 T. vanilla extract

1 3/4 c. hazelnuts, toasted and finely chopped


Heat oven to 325 degrees.

Combine flour and salt in a medium bowl and whisk until aerated and evenly combined: set aside.

Place butter in the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add sugar and vanilla and continue to mix until whipped and light, about 2 more minutes.

Add half of the nuts and mix until evenly incorporated and nuts are broken up, about 1 minute. Add flour and mix until well combined, about 1 minute. Remove bowl from mixer and stir in remaining nuts.

Shape dough into 1 Tablespoon balls and place on baking sheets, spaced at least 1 inch apart. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until underside of cookies are brown, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes on baking sheets.

Place some powdered sugar in a medium bowl. Once the cookies have cooled, roll them in powdered sugar until just coated and tap off the excess. Let cool completely and recoat in powdered sugar, tapping off excess sugar, before serving.

Sugar Cookies

I've been on a quest this fall to find a most excellent sugar cookie recipe. A magazine came in the mail with a recipe claiming that these cookies won a blind folded taste test every time.
I tried them and they are indeed amazing. This is now my staple sugar cookie recipe.

1/2 c. butter
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 T. milk
2 t. vanilla
3 c. flour
1 t. baking powder
pinch of salt

In a large bowl, cram together butter, sugar, eggs, milk and vanilla.

Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl.

Add dry mixture to wet ingredients in thirds, beating in between.

Chill for 1 hour.

Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface and cut into shapes. (I prefered it a little thicker than thin. Thin is crispy, thick was more chewy and cakey.)

Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes. Do not over bake!

Frosting:
1/2 c butter (softened)
1 t. vanilla
3 T milk
4-5 c. powdered sugar

Cream butter, vanilla and milk together, and gradually add the powdered sugar while mixing until you have a stiff but creamy frosting.

Holiday Cookies!

Every year (okay, for the last two or three years) the Food Network has sent me recipes for 12 cookies at the beginning of the holiday season. I tried to build a bandwagon one year and I had Mom and Makenzie come over for a cookie-making day. That was fun, right? I've looked through the recipes for the 2009 cookies (they have short videos SHOWING us how to make the cookies - huzzah!) and decided that this year I'm adding Hazelnut Tea Cookies (secretly Mexican Wedding Cookies only with hazelnuts - remember back in 2004 when Katy was all about some hazelnuts?) to my repertoire. If it goes well, I'll post the recipe. If you'd like to have a cookie day before the Christmas season gets to be too much and you don't feel like baking anymore, click on the links.
In 2007 we made Jam Thumbprints. They tasted wonderful, but I have a problem using my Prize-Winning Raspberry Jam for cookies. Then again, someone could be using my jam as salsa with his tortilla chips.
Have a Cookie Day! Post your recipes! We totally need more treat recipes on this blog.

Chocolate-Spot Cookies

This recipe comes from a Martha Stewart Halloween magazine from 2004. I love, love, love these! I have made them every Halloween and Christmas since I got the magazine. Other brownie-like cookies with M&M's have tried and failed! These are just delicious. Sometimes I make a batch and save about 1cup of the dough in a small container in the fridge, then every once in a while I'll get a spoon and eat a bite of it. That lasts a few days. And yes, I know it's wrong, but I still do it. Neener, neener.

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
12 TBS (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups Halloween-colored M&M's

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt together into a large bowl.
2. Put butter and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; beat on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low, beat in flour mixture. Stir in 1 cup candies.
3. Drop dough by the tablespoon onto baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Press remaining 1/4 cup candies into tops of cookies.
4. Bake cookies 8-10 minutes.