Raspberry Almond Thumbprint Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 
  
• 1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam 
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 teaspoon milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a medium bowl, cream together butter and white sugar until smooth. Mix in 1/2 teaspoon almond extract. Mix in flour until dough comes together. Roll dough into 1 1/2 inch balls, and place on ungreased cookie sheets. Make a small hole in the center of each ball, using your thumb and finger, and fill the hole with preserves.

Bake for 14 to 18 minutes in preheated oven, or until lightly browned. Let cool 1 minute on the cookie sheet.

In a medium bowl, mix together the confectioners' sugar, 3/4 teaspoon almond extract, and milk until smooth. Drizzle lightly over warm cookies.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups pecans
• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
• 1 1/2 cups raisins

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the pecans on a sheet pan and bake for 5 minutes, until crisp. Set aside to cool. Chop very coarsely.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low, add the eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla.

Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt together into a medium bowl. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Add the oats, raisins, and pecans and mix just until combined.

Using a small ice-cream scoop or a tablespoon, drop 2-inch mounds of dough onto sheet pans lined with parchment paper. Flatten slightly with a damp hand. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until lightly browned. Transfer the cookies to a baking rack and cool completely.

Soft Gingersnap Cookies

I have never loved gingersnap cookies until I tried these.  They are soft and have a great flavor!  They go perfect with a nice cold glass of milk!

Ingredients:

3/4 cup vegetable shortening

3/4 cup butter shortening

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup Grandma's Molasses

2 eggs

3 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp clove

 2 tsp ginger

1 1/2 tsp soda

1 tsp salt

4 cups flour

Cream together the shortening and sugar.

Then add the eggs, one at a time.  Followed by the molasses.

Then add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.  

Roll into golf size balls and roll in sugar.  Place on a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Bake at 350 degrees for 8-9 minutes.  Over baking will make the cookies hard, so watch them carefully.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are one of my favorite cookies and I don't feel as guilty giving them to my kids since they have oatmeal in them!

2 eggs

2 cubes butter

1 cup dark brown sugar, packed

1 cup white sugar

1 tsp soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 TBS vanilla

3 cups oats

1 3/4 C. flour

1 package semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup finely chopped pecans

Cream together the butter, brown sugar and white sugar.  Then add the eggs and stir well.  Add the soda, salt and vanilla.  Cream together.  The add the oats, flour, chocolate chips and nuts.

Bake on a greased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 10-13 minutes. Enjoy!!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

I know that it is nearing Summer but I love pumpkin chocolate chip cookies year round.  This is by far my favorite recipe.  They are super soft and have great flavors!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• Nonstick cooking spray or parchment paper

DIRECTIONS

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray cookie sheets with nonstick spray or line them with parchment paper.

Using a mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Beat in the white and brown sugars, a little at a time, until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time, then mix in the vanilla and pumpkin puree. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Slowly beat the flour mixture into the batter. Stir in the chips. Scoop the cookie dough by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared cookie sheets and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cookies are browned around the edges. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let them rest for 2 minutes. Cool on a cooling rack.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

These cookies are my husbands all time favorite cookie.  They take a little more time so when he gets them they are truly a treat.  There is something about chocolate and peanut butter that makes my mouth water. YUMMO!  This recipe makes A LOT of cookies.  So you may want to half it! 

2 cups butter

1/4 cup shortening

2 cups baking cocoa

1 cup chocolate syrup

1/2 cup peanut butter

6 eggs

5 cups sugar

5 tsp vanilla

5 cups all-purpose flour

3 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

FILLING:

1/2 cup butter softened

1 cup peanut butter

1 cup milk

2 tsp vanilla

11 cups of powdered sugar

In a saucepan melt butter over low heat.  Remove from heat and stir in the cocoa, chocolate syrup and peanut butter until it is smooth. Set aside and cool.

In a large mixing bowl beat eggs and sugar until lemon colored.  Beat in the chocolate mixture and vanilla.  Combine the flour, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl and slowly add to the chocolate mixture.  Using a small or medium cookie scoop drop onto an ungreased baking sheet 2 inches apart.  Flatten with a glass dipped in sugar.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until surface starts to crack.  Cool for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks.

In another mixing bowl, beat butter and peanut butter until smooth.  Beat in milk and vanilla. Gradually add powdered sugar.  Spread on the bottom half of a cookie and top with a remaining cookie, making a sandwich.  

*** These cookies are recommended to be served with a large cold glass of milk***

Peanut Blossom Cookies

This recipe comes from the kitchen of my mother.  These were and always has been a favorite around our house. My mom is the one that taught me most everything I know when it comes to cooking.  She is a wonderful woman and inspiration to me.  Thanks mom for all of your hard work over the years.  I love you!

Cream Well Together:

1 cup all vegetable shortening

1 cup peanut butter

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

Then Add:

2 eggs

4 TBS milk

2 tsp. vanilla

Then Blend In:

3 1/2 cups shifted flour

2 tsp soda

1 tsp salt

Make into golf ball size balls and roll in granulated sugar.  Place on ungreased cookie sheet 2 inches apart.  Bake at 375 degrees for 8 minutes.  Remove from oven and place a Hershey kiss in the center.  Bake 2 more minutes.   Remove from oven and cool on a cooling rack.

Snickerdoodle

These are the greatest Snickerdoodles. They are moist and super soft!!! These are cookies that are great when baking with little hands around. Have your little ones wash their hands and have them roll the balls of dough in the cinnamon sugar coating! I hope you enjoy them as much as my family does!


Cookies:
1 Cup Butter
1 1/2 Cups Sugar
2 Eggs
2 3/4 Cup Flour
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp Salt

Topping:
3 TBS Sugar
3 tsp Cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. For cookie dough mix the sugar and butter until nice and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and mix well. Combine flour, soda and salt in a separate bowl and slowly add to butter mixture. Chill dough for at least 30 minutes in refrigerator. In a separate bowl combine the topping ingredients. Once dough is chilled roll 1 inch balls in the cinnamon and sugar mixture and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Cook 8-10 minutes making sure they do not over cook. Remove from pan and cool on a cooling rack.

No Bake Cookies

This is the best no bake cookie recipe I have found.  I always go to these when I need something in a hurry!

1 cube butter

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup canned milk

1/3 cup cocoa

1 tsp. vanilla

3/4 cup peanut butter

3 cups quick oats

In a sauce pan melt the butter.  Then add the sugar, milk and cocoa.  Let it come to a soft boil.  Boil for one minute.  Remove from heat and add the vanilla and peanut butter.  Stir until the peanut butter is melted and then add your quick oats.  Drop onto wax paper and cool.  

These go great with a big glass of milk!!!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Everyone has their favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe, well here is mine.  I love my cookies super soft and this recipe does just that.  This recipe will make A LOT of cookies.  So, you may want to cut it in half if you have a small family.

1 lb. of softened butter

1 cups sugar

3 eggs

2 cups packed brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp salt

2 TBS vanilla

1 1/2 tsp soda

6 cups flour (1/2 to 1 cup more if needed)

Cream your butter and sugar together.  Then add eggs one at a time and incorporate.  Then add remaining ingredients.  You will want enough flour to make a stiff dough.  One that will pull away from the mixing bowl.  Add 3-6 cups of chocolate chips.  Using a medium cookie scoop, place onto greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for 7-9 minutes.  Do not over bake.   This is the biggest down fall to a great cookie

Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies!

This is a spectacular cookie that you will love for years!  I hope you enjoy.

1 Cup Butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

2/3 cup cocoa powder

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups peanut butter chips

 (Make sure you use the name brand ones.  It makes a huge difference)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  In a bowl cream together the butter and sugar.  Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth and creamy.  In a separate bowl combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt, stir into the creamed mixture.  Fold in the chips and drop by teaspoonful onto a greased cookie sheet.  Bake for 8-10 minutes until just done.  Cool on wire racks and devour!

Oatmeal Coconut Cookies

This recipe was passed down from my husbands grandmother, to his mother and then onto me.  I have to be careful when I make these because I can't stop eating them and I am not exaggerating! 

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar (packed)

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp soda

3 cups oatmeal

1/2 cup coconut

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Cream together the butter and shortening until fluffy.  Add the granulated sugar and the brown sugar and mix together well.  Then add the rest of the ingredients.  Using a medium cookie scoop drop onto a greased cookie sheet and bake for 7-9 on 350 degrees.

Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies

These cookies are to die for.  They are so soft and yummy.  Happy baking:)

1/2 C Melted Shortening

1/2 C. Milk

1 tsp. Vanilla

2 C. Flour

1/2 tsp Salt

1 C. Sugar

1 Egg

1/2 C. Cocoa

1/2 tsp. Soda

Mix all the above ingredients together.  It will be a stiff dough.  Use a small cookie scoop and drop onto a greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. 

 While cookies are baking cut marshmallows in half.  After the 8 minutes put marshmallows, (cut side down) onto  the cookie.  Push down slightly. Cook an additional 2 minutes.  Remove from oven and cool cookies on a cooling rack.  

While cooling make your frosting.

1/2 Cube Butter

1/4 C. Sifted Cocoa

Pinch of Salt

1 lb. Powdered Sugar

3-6 TBS Canned Milk

Melt butter in a saucepan.  Remove from heat and mix in the remaining ingredients.  Add more milk if it needs it.  Spoon frosting over your cooled cookies.