Sharing amazing recipes that I have collected over the years and that I will continue adding to daily. Some call it an addiction...I call it a hobby....a delicious hobby!
Ingredients: 1 c. butter, softened 3 oz. cream cheese, softened 1 c. sugar 1/4 tsp. salt 1 egg 1 tsp. vanilla extract 2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour FROSTING: 3 c. confectioners' sugar 1/3 c. butter, softened 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract 2-3 Tbsp. 2% milk Assorted candies or sprinkles Directions: In a large bowl, cream butter, cream cheese, sugar and salt until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour. Refrigerate, covered, 1-2 ours or until firm enough to roll. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut with floured cookie cutters. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 7-8 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on pans for 1 minute. Remove to wire racks to cool completely. In a small bowl, beat confectioners' sugar, butter, vanilla and enough milk to achieve desired consistency. Decorate cookies with frosting and candies or sprinkles.
Ingredients: 1 c. cold butter, cut into cubes 2 c. sugar 2 eggs 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1 1/2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice 1 Tbsp. lemon zest (may add extra zest for extra flavor) 3 c. flour 1 1/4 tsp. baking powder 1/4 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. salt *May add a drop of yellow food coloring, if desired Sugar or white sparkling sugar
Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar for 4 minutes until light and fluffy. Add eggs, vanilla, lemon juice and lemon zest; stir to combine.
Stir in flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; mix just until combined.
Drop dough onto a light colored baking sheet.
Bake for 9-11 minutes. Sprinkle with sugar or white sparkling sugar.
Ingredients: 1 c. butter, softened 1 1/2 c. sugar 2 eggs 1 c. (8 oz.) sour cream 1 tsp. vanilla extract 3 c. all-purpose flour 1 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. salt FROSTING/DECORATING: 4 c. confectioners' sugar 1/2 c. butter, melted 6 Tbsp. milk 2 tsp. vanilla extract 3-4 drops red food coloring Pink sugar wafer cookies 36 large marshmallows, halved Butterscotch chips and miniature semisweet chocolate chips Directions: Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, sour cream and vanilla; mix well. Combine dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture and mix well. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely. For frosting, in a large bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar, butter, milk, vanilla and food coloring. Frost cookies. Cut sugar wafers into triangles; place 2 on each cookie for ears. With a toothpick, poke 2 holes in each marshmallow half for nostrils; press butterscotch chips into holes. Place noses on cookies; add chocolate chip eyes.
Ingredients: 1 c. butter, softened 1 c. sugar 1 c. packed brown sugar 2 eggs 2 tsp. vanilla extract 2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour 1 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. salt 2 c. miniature pretzels, broken 1 1/2 c. flaked coconut 1 1/2 c. milk chocolate M&Ms Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Stir in remaining ingredients. Shape 1/4 cupfuls of dough into balls; place 3 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 12-14 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.
Ingredients; 1 pouch (1 lb. 1.5 oz.) sugar cookie mix 1/3 c. unsweetened cocoa 1/4 c. butter or margarine, softened 1/4 c. sour cream 1 Tbsp. red food coloring 1 egg 3/4-1 c. cream cheese frosting 1/4 c. chopped nuts Directions: Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, stir cookie mix, cocoa, butter, sour cream, food color and egg until a soft dough forms. Roll dough into 1 inch balls; place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-9 minutes or until set. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to wire racks. Cool completely, about 15 minutes. Frost cooled cookies with frosting. Sprinkle with nuts. Store tightly covered at room temperature.
(Courtesy of Food Writers Favorites) Ingredients: 1 1/2 c. firmly packed brown sugar 1 1/2 c. butter or margarine, softened 3 c. old-fashioned or quick-cooking rolled oats, uncooked 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour Granulated sugar Directions: Combine brown sugar, butter, oats, baking soda and flour in a large mixing bowl. Mash, knead, squeeze and pound ingredients to make a dough. Form dough into small balls. Put balls on ungreased baking sheets. Grease the bottom of a small glass jar; dip into granulated sugar and use to flatten balls. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven about 15 minutes, or until done. Transfer to racks to cool.
(Courtesy of Food Writers Favorites) Ingredients: 1/2 c. solid vegetable shortening 1 c. granulated sugar 1 egg 1 3/4 c. sifted all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. salt 1 tsp. ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp. ground cloves 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg 1/2 c. raisins 1 c. quick-cooking or old-fashioned rolled oats, uncooked 1 c. applesauce Directions: In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer, beat shortening and sugar until soft, smooth and creamy. Stir in egg. Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg into a separate bowl. Stir in raisins and oats. Add flour mixture to shortening mixture in 3 portions alternating with applesauce in 2 portions. Beat the mixture by hand until well-blended. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls onto greased baking sheets. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven 15 minutes before transferring them to racks to cool completely.
Ingredients: 1 c. butter (no substitutes), softened 1/2 c. sugar 1 tsp. vanilla extract 2 c. flour 1/4 c. cornstarch 1-2 c. M&M candies Directions: Mix butter, sugar and vanilla thoroughly using an electric mixer. Gradually blend in flour and cornstarch. Stir in 1 c. candies, if desired. Form into 1 inch balls and place onto ungreased baking sheets. Gently flatten each cookie using fingers or a flat bottomed drinking glass (dipped in sugar to prevent sticking). Press in additional candies to decorate. Bake in preheated 300 degree oven for 25-30 minutes, or until bottoms begin to brown. Cool for 5 minutes; remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
(Courtesy of Maida Heatter's Book of Great Cookies) Ingredients: 6 oz. (1 c.) semisweet chocolate morsels 2 1/4 c. sifted all-purpose flour 2 tsp. baking powder 1/4 tsp. baking soda Scant 1/2 tsp. salt 3 small or 2 large ripe bananas (to make 1 c. mashed) 5 1/3 oz. (10 2/3 Tbsp.) butter 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract 1 c. granulated sugar 2 eggs 6 oz. (generous 1 1/2 c.) walnuts, cut or broken into medium-size pieces Directions: Adjust 2 racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut aluminum foil to fit cookie sheets. Place the chocolate morsels in the top of a small double boiler over hot water on medium heat. Cover and cook until partially melted. Then, uncover and stir until completely melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set aside. In a small bowl of an electric mixer, beat the bananas at low speed to mash them and make 1 c. of pulp. Set aside. In the large bowl of an electric mixer (without washing the beaters) cream the butter. Add the vanilla and sugar and beat well. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat well. On low speed, gradually add half of the sifted dry ingredients, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula only until mixed. Add the cooked chocolate and the bananas and beat until smooth. Add the remaining half of the dry ingredients and beat only until smooth. Stir in the nuts. Using a heating teaspoonful (make these rather large) of the dough for each cookie. Place them 2 inches apart on the cut aluminum foil. Slide cookie sheets under the aluminum foil (if you have not already done so). Bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes, reversing the position of the sheets top to bottom and front to back once or twice to insure even baking. The cookies are done when the tops spring back firmly if lightly pressed with a fingertip. Slide of foil off of the cookie sheet. Let the cookies stand for a few minutes and then with your fingers or a spatula, transfer the cookies to a rack to cool.
Ingredients: 3/4 c. shortening 1 c. plus 2 Tbsp. sugar, divided 1 large egg 1/4 c. molasses 2 c. all-purpose flour 2 tsp.. baking soda 1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger 1 tsp. ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp. salt Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream shortening and 1 c. sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and molasses. In another bowl, combine the next 5 ingredients; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Shape level tablespoonfuls of dough into balls. Dip one side into remaining sugar; place 2 inches apart, sugary side up, on greased baking sheets. Bake until lightly browned and crinkly, 12-15 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool.
Ingredients: 1 c. shortening 1 c. sugar 1 large egg 1 c. (8 oz.) sour cream 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract 4 c. all-purpose flour 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1/4 tsp. salt FROSTING: 1 c. butter, softened 9 c. confectioners' sugar 3 tsp. vanilla extract 2/3-3/4 c. 2% milk Paste food coloring Directions: In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, sour cream and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour or until easy to handle. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut with a floured 3 inch cookie cutter. Place 1 inch apart on baking sheets lightly coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until set. Cool for 1 minute before removing to wire racks to cool completely. For frosting, in a large bowl, cream butter until light and fluffy. Beat in confectioners' sugar and vanilla. Add enough milk to achieve desired consistency. Tint with food coloring. Decorate cookies as desired.
Ingredients: 3 c. all-purpose flour 1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder 2 tsp. baking powder 1/4 tsp. baking soda 3/4 tsp. salt 3/4 c. unsalted butter, softened 1 1/3 c. granulated sugar 3 large eggs 1 Tbsp. milk or buttermilk 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla bean paste or vanilla 2 tsp. lemon juice 5 tsp. red food coloring 1 c. white chocolate chips 1 c. powdered sugar Directions: In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt for 30 seconds; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip butter and granulated sugar until pale and fluffy. Mix in eggs 1 at a time, blending until combined after each addition. Mix in milk, vanilla bean paste, lemon juice and red food coloring. With mixer set on low speed, slowly add in dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Stir in white chocolate chips. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill 2 hours or until firm enough to shape into balls. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour powdered sugar into a bowl. Remove dough from refrigerator, scoop dough out and with buttered hands, shape into medium balls (about 2 1/2 Tbsp. each). Roll cookie dough balls into powdered sugar and evenly coat. Transfer to Silpat or parchment paper-lined baking sheets and flatten slightly, then bake in a preheated oven 13-14 minutes. Allow to rest on cookie sheet several minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container. Note~ If you want them a little more chocolatey, you can replase 2-3 Tbsp. of the flour with 2-3 additional Tbsp. of cocoa powder.
Ingredients: 1 pie crust, homemade or store-bought 3 Tbsp. granulated sugar 3 tsp. ground cinnamon Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. On a floured surface, roll out pie crust into an approx. 12x8 inch rectangle. Sprinkle all over with sugar and cinnamon. Starting at the short end, roll crust until you have a tightly rolled log. Slice into 1 inch wide cookies. Place on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until pie crust is cooked but slightly underdone. Let rest on baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Ingredients: 2 c. (4 sticks) sweet cream salted butter, softened but still cold 2 c. sugar 2 eggs 2 Tbsp. vanilla 4 tsp. baking powder 6 c. flour Red food coloring Green food coloring Directions: Add butter and sugar to a stand mixer. Cream the butter and sugar until it is completely mixed- do not overmix. Add vanilla and eggs and mix until completely incorporated. Add baking powder and mix. Mix in flour 2 cups at a time. The flour should be completely incorporated and the dough should be firm but not dry or crumbly. If the dough seems a little dry, add a little vanilla or milk and mix again. Do not chill the dough. Split the sugar cookie dough into 3 equal portions (can use a food scale if you want). Leave one of the portions white. Mix 1 portion of cookie dough with red food coloring (do not overmix the dough); set aside. Mix 1 portion of cookie dough with green food coloring (do not overmix the dough); set aside. Roll 3 small balls of each color (about the size of a walnut). Arrange the balls on a rolling surface in any pattern you desire (try not to put the same colors next to each other). Press the dough balls into a circle using your hand. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough until it is about 1/4-1/3 inch thick (depending how thick you want your cookies to be). Arrange your cookie cutters on the rolled out dough so that the cookie will have all 3 colors on the dough in the shape. Add sugar sprinkles onto your raw dough and bake for 7 minutes at 350 degrees. For the leftover dough, you can ball it up and re-roll it. It wont have the marble effect and will have more of a tie-dye effect. Note~ Rather than flouring your rolling surface, you can use powdered sugar. The cookies will stick a little bit but this eliminates the powdery sheen of flour.
Ingredients: 3/4 c. butter, softened 1/2 c. peanut butter 1/2 c. sugar 1/2 c. brown sugar 2 eggs 1 Tbsp. honey 1 tsp. vanilla 2 1/4 c. flour 1 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. salt 1 box (3.4 oz.) instant vanilla pudding 1 c. chocolate chips 1 c. Reese's Pieces 1 c. dried banana chips, broken (optional) Directions: In a bowl combine the flour, baking soda, salt and pudding mix and set aside. In a large mixing bowl cream butter, peanut butter and sugars until fluffy. Add the eggs, vanilla and honey then beat again. Slowly add the dry ingredients, being careful not to overmix. Stir in the chocolate chips, Reese's and banana chips by hand (you can leave out the banana chips if you dont like them, otherwise you can substitute pretzels or chips). Drop by tablespoon onto a baking sheet, leaving 2 inches in between each cookie. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Do not overbake. Cool on pan for 3-4 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in a tightly covered container.
Ingredients: 1/2 c. shortening 1/2 c. peanut butter 1/2 c. packed brown sugar 1/2 c. sugar 2 eggs, lightly beaten 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract 1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour 2 c. miniature marshmallows 1 c. (6 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips Directions: In a mixing bowl, cream shortening, peanut butter and sugars. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour and mix well. Pat into a greased 12 inch pizza pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 minutes. Sprinkle with the marshmallows and chocolate chips. Return to the oven for 4-6 minutes or until lightly browned.
Ingredients: 2 bananas 1 c. dry Quaker oats Dash of cinnamon 1 c. peanut butter Directions: Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Use as a fruit dip or place on a cookie sheet in blobs and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
Ingredients: 3/4 c. butter, softened 3/4 c. sugar 1 egg 1/2 tsp. almond extract 2 c. all-purpose flour 1/4 tsp. baking powder 1/8 tsp. salt Red and green gel food coloring 1/3 c. miniature semisweet chocolate chips or raisins, chopped Directions: In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and extract. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Reserve 1 cup dough. Tint remaining dough red; shape into 3 1/2 inch long roll. Wrap in plastic wrap. Tint 1/3 cup reserved dough green; wrap in plastic wrap. Wrap remaining plain dough. Refrigerate 2 hours or until firm. On a lightly floured surface, roll plain dough into an 8 1/2 x 3 1/2 inch rectangle. Unwrap red dough and place on a short end of the plain dough; roll up. Roll green dough into a 10 x 3 1/2 inch rectangle. Place red and plain roll on a short end of the green dough; roll up. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate overnight. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Unwrap and dough dough into 3/16 inch slices (just less than 1/4 inch). Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet. If desired, lightly press chocolate chips or raisins into red dough to resemble watermelon seeds. Bake 9-11 minutes or until firm. Immediately cut cookies in half. Remove to wire racks to cool.
Ingredients: 12 Tbsp. butter, softened 3/4 c. brown sugar 1/4 c. sugar 1 tsp. vanilla 1 egg 2 c. flour 1 small (3.4 oz.) box instant vanilla pudding mix, dry- do not prepare (must be instant) 1 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. salt 2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips 24 soft caramels, unwrapped Coarse sea salt, optional Directions: Start by beating butter and sugars together for 1-2 minutes until very fluffy. Add vanilla and egg. Mix well. In a separate bowl whisk together flour, pudding mix, baking soda and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until incorporated and dough comes together. Stir in the chocolate chips. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a baking sheet (can mist with cooking spray then wipe off with a paper towel- too much grease will lead to flat cookies). Roll about 3-4 Tbsp. chocolate chip cookie dough into a ball, then repeat with 3-4 Tbsp. of dough. Press a caramel square into the center of one ball. Gently smash the 2 dough balls together and roll into one single ball. Repeat with the remaining dough and place the dough balls at least 3-4 inches apart on the baking sheet. Put additional chocolate chips into the top of each dough ball if you would like (just for looks). Bake cookies for 10-13 minutes until set but still slightly undercooked. Remove from oven and sprinkle with sea salt, if desired. Allow to cook at least 10 minutes on the baking sheet and then transfer to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely to room temperature. Store in an airtight container.
Ingredients: 1/2 c. shortening 3/4 c. sugar 1 large egg 2 Tbsp. 2% milk 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour 1 1/4 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. salt 3/4 c. small jelly beans Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugar until blended. Beat in egg, milk and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Stir in jelly beans. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls 1 1/2 inches apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool on pans 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool.
