THE Chocolate Chip Cookie

Recipe courtesy of all recipes.com (with my modifications)

"Crisp edges, chewy middles."

Ingredients

1 cup salted butter, cold
1 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons hot water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup toffee bits
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)



Directions

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2.Cream together the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. (Because the butter is cold, this may be a process... let the butter warm a but so you can cream it, but you don't want it "soft".)
Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Dissolve baking soda in hot water. Add to batter along with salt. Stir in flour, chocolate chips, toffee bits and nuts. Drop by large spoonfuls onto ungreased pans.
3.Bake for about 11-13 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are nicely browned. Don't overbake!



Recipe can be halved
Dough can be frozen
Original Recipe Yield 4 dozen

Snickerdoodles

Recipe and Photo Courtesy of Betty Crocker

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Directions

Heat oven to 400ºF.

Mix 1 1/2 cups sugar, the butter, shortening and eggs in large bowl. Stir in flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt.

Shape dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. Mix 1/4 cup sugar and the cinnamon. Roll balls in cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set.

Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.

Makes 2-3 dozen cookies

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Lactation Cookies (for the breastfeeding mom)

These are surprisingly pretty yummy!

Recipe Courtesy of Noel Trujillo

INGREDIENTS
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar (or sugar substitute)
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar (or substitute)
4 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons flax seed meal
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup white flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups thick, rolled oats
1 cup chocolate chips*
4 tablespoons brewer's yeast**

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350°. Mix the flaxseed meal and water and let sit for 3-5 minutes. Meanwhile, beat butter, sugar, and brown sugar well. Add eggs and mix well. Add flaxseed mix and vanilla, beat well.

Sift together flour, brewers yeast, baking soda, and salt. Add dry ingredients to butter mix. Stir in oats and chips. Scoop onto baking sheet.

Bake for 12 minutes. Let set for a couple minutes then remove from tray.

*Variations: Instead of chocolate chips (or in addition to), add add walnuts, almonds, cashews, macadamia nuts, pumpkin seeds, dried fruit, hemp seeds, spirulina, sesame seeds or any combination of the above.

**Next time, I will add more Brewer's Yeast.  I couldn't even taste it and it is one of the more beneficial ingredients.

Cookies and Cream Ice Cream

Recipe Courtesy of Baked Bree

PHOTO CREDIT

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 1/8 cups sugar
3 cups heavy cream
1 Tablespoon vanilla
15-20 Oreos, crushed

DIRECTIONS
Put the milk in the bowl of the mixer. Add the sugar and mix until the sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes.

Add in the cream and vanilla.

Pour the mixture into the ice cream machine and follow manufacturer's instructions. Add Oreos in the last 5 minutes of churning.

Whoopie Pies

Recipe and Photo Courtesy of Omnomicon
Full Tutorial

I searched high and low for the most authentic Whoopie Pie recipe I could find. No marshmallow fluff or frosting on the inside. I wanted the real thing. And I think I found it!

Makes about 15

Cake Outside
Blend
1/4 c Crisco
1 c milk
1 c sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla

Add
2 c flour
1/4 c + 1 tbsp cocoa
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Drop by the small tablespoonful onto an ungreased cookie sheet—a tablespoon-sized bakery scoop works best. Bake exactly 8 minutes at 375 degrees, see if a toothpick comes out clean, and if it doesn’t, bake another 2 minutes (10 total). Upon extraction from the oven, using a metal spatula, remove from pan immediately to wire rack to cool.

Creme Inside
1/2 c butter (room temp)
1/2 c Crisco
1 c sugar
1 tbsp flour
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c warm whole milk (20 seconds in the microwave should do it)

Beat with a mixer (stand or hand, your choice) for-freakin-ever. It will start out just like, well, lumps of Crisco floating in milk, then bits will get smaller and smaller, then it’ll slosh around for a little bit, and, much like the butter making process, you’ll be wondering if this will ever become anything or if you maybe messed it up somehow. Suddenly, about five minutes later, your mix will look weird for a second, and within moments your slushy mess will turn into a glorious white creme, smooth and perfect.

Assembly
As soon as the whoopie cookies are cool, match each whoopie with its closest brother in size—even if yours didn’t all come out the same size, evenly matched whoopies will look much much nicer. Spread some filling (or pipe it for a cleaner appearance) on the flat side of one, then place the second on top. Repeat. This does not need to be done immediately before serving, as the filling tends to maintain its consistency surprisingly well,.

No need to refrigerate, sealed plastic or plastic wrap will keep them fresh. They are even better the next day!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Recipe Courtesy of Jennifer Pester
Photo Courtesy of Allrecipes

Makes about 3 dozen cookies

INGREDIENTS
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar (lightly packed)
2 eggs
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves (optional)
2 cups chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Mix butter, sugars, eggs, vanilla, and pumpkin together.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves.
4. Slowly add the flour mixture to the batter.
5. Stir in the chocolate chips.
6. Bake 15 to 18 minutes.

Pizzookies!

Idea and Photo Courtesy of Our Best Bites, one of the best recipe blogs on the *planet*.


INGREDIENTS
Chocolate chip cookie dough (use store bought or look here for a recipe if you want to make your own)
Vanilla ice cream
Chocolate sauce
Caramel Sauce

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350. Fill ramekins about 1/2 full of cookie dough.

Bake in preheated oven for about 12-14 minutes or until golden around the edges but still soft in the middle.

Remove from oven and allow to cool about 5 minutes. Top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and drizzle with caramel and chocolate sauces.

Big Cookies

Recipe courtesy of Amy Nielson

Makes a LOT! :)

INGREDIENTS

2 cups butter
2 cups brown sugar
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs, beaten
2 t vanilla
2 cups oatmeal
2 cups corn flakes
4 cups flour
2 t baking soda
2 t baking powder

Optional items: use any combination
1 cup raisins
1 cup coconut
1 package chocolate chips
1 package butterscotch chips
1 cup walnuts
1 cup peanuts

DIRECTIONS
Blend butter and sugars together. Stir in eggs and vanilla. Mix in oatmeal and corn flakes. Add flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Mix thoroughly. Stir in optional items.

Drop by ice cream scoop onto un-greased cookie sheet. Do not put more than 6 scoops to a cookie sheet. Cookies spread a lot during baking. Bake at 350 for about 13-14 minutes.

ENJOY!!

Oatmeal Cookies 2 Ways

My all-time favorite cookie is oatmeal chocolate chip. Here is my recipe for that variation, as well as the classic oatmeal/raisin. Warning: This dough is so good, you'll wonder if any of it will actually get baked...

Recipe and photo courtesy of Quaker Oats


INGREDIENTS
1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups oatmeal (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)

Add-In: Option #1
1 cup raisins
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Add-In: Option #2
1 cup chocolate chips (milk or semi-sweet)

DIRECTIONS
Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, beat butter and sugars on medium speed of electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Add combined flour, baking soda, and salt; mix well. Add oats and add-ins of your choice.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Store tightly covered.

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Recipe and photos courtesy of Allrecipes


INGREDIENTS
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons milk
40 miniature chocolate covered peanut butter cups, unwrapped

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Unwrap the peanut butter cups and place them in the freezer to harden.

Sift together the flour, salt and baking soda; set aside.

Cream together the butter, sugar, peanut butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg, vanilla and milk. Add the flour mixture; mix well.

Shape into 40 balls and place each into an ungreased mini muffin pan*.

Bake at 375 degrees for about 8 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately press a mini peanut butter cup into each ball. (You may need to transfer the pan to the freezer if the PB cups begin melting too quickly.) Cool and carefully remove from pan.

*If you don't have a mini muffin pan, you can just cook them on a regular cookie sheet. They may spread a bit more, but they will still be yummy! See below.

Gingerbread Men

This is the gingerbread cookie recipe for people who don't typically like gingerbread. They bake up nice and soft, and the flavor is very mellow.

Recipe courtesy of Kim from Allrecipes


Yields 2 1/2 dozen

INGREDIENTS
1 (3.5 ounce) package cook and serve butterscotch pudding mix
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon


DIRECTIONS
In a medium bowl, cream together the dry butterscotch pudding mix, butter, and brown sugar until smooth. Stir in the egg. Combine the flour, baking soda, ginger, and cinnamon; stir into the pudding mixture. Cover, and chill dough until firm, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease baking sheets. On a floured board, roll dough out to about 1/8 inch thickness, and cut into man shapes using a cookie cutter. Place cookies 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until cookies are golden at the edges. DO NOT OVER BAKE. Cool on wire racks.

THE Toffee Cookie

Recipe Courtesy of: Kate at OBB

INGREDIENTS
2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. (1 stick) butter
1/4 c. Smart Balance margarine (or similarly high-quality margarine)
3/4 c. white sugar
3/4 c. packed DARK brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 c. Heath bits
3/4 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips*
1/4 c. white chocolate chips*
*You can use 1 c. chocolate chips instead of splitting it up between the semi-sweet and white chocolate chips, but the white chocolate chips make these cookies extra-special.

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375. In a small mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

Combine brown sugar, white sugar, butter, margarine, and vanilla in a large bowl until well-blended. Add in eggs and beat well. Slowly add in flour mixture and mix until combined. Add in chocolate and white chocolate chips and then mix the toffee bits until they're just combined.

Drop dough onto the cookie sheets and bake 8-10 minutes until the cookies are lightly brown. Allow to cool on cookie sheets for about 5 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely. The cooling rack is very important in this recipe because the toffee will make the cookies stick to the pan if you're not careful.

Makes 24 - 36 cookies

THE Peanut Butter Cookie

So, I attempted to make cream puffs for my family today and they turned into a total bust (story for another time). I had less than one hour to throw together another dessert, when I remembered my nephew, Cameron, saying his favorite cookie is Peanut Butter. Having never made a classic peanut butter cookie before (I know, the horror!), I scrambled to the Internet where I found a great recipe that, with a little bit of tweaking, caused Ryan to exclaim, "This is the best peanut butter cookie I have ever had!" SCORE!

Recipe Courtesy of Shirley Sadler
Altered Somewhat


INGREDIENTS
1 cup unsalted butter
1 1/4 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

DIRECTIONS
Cream together butter, peanut butter and sugars. Beat in eggs.

In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir into batter. Put batter in refrigerator for 1 hour.

Roll into 1 inch balls and put on baking sheets. Flatten each ball slightly with a fork, making a criss-cross pattern. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F oven for about 8-10 minutes or until cookies begin to brown. Do not over-bake!

Makes about 4 dozen, depending on size

THE Sugar Cookie

As with THE Chocolate Chip Cookie, everyone has their own preference of how they want their sugar cookie to be. Thin and crispy. Plump and soft. To each their own.

This cookie recipe is plump and soft. Don't roll them too thin, and DON'T overbake.

Recipe Courtesy of Eileen Sieger

INGREDIENTS

4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream

DIRECTIONS

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg, vanilla and sour cream until well blended. Stir in the sifted ingredients. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch in thickness. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Place cookies 1 1/2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.