Snickerdoodles

My recipes are a huge mess.  I can't keep track of them.  I'm about to just do a full-size binder with one recipe per page alphabetized.  Sigh...  Much better than the random papers thrown in the cupboard with the other cook books.

Anyhoo... couldn't find this recipe that we love... so now that I've found it, I'm posting here to share with y'all and so I don't lose it again.

Mrs. Siggs Snickerdoodles

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup shortening

1 1/2 cups white sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons white sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

2.  Cream together butter, shortening, 1 1/2 cups sugar, the eggs and the vanilla. Blend in the flour, cream of tartar, soda and salt. Shape dough by rounded spoonfuls into balls.

3.  Mix the 2 tablespoons sugar and the cinnamon. Roll balls of dough in mixture. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.

4.  Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until set but not too hard. Remove immediately from baking sheets.

Pumpkin Cranberry Breakfast Cookies

I saw this in our paper and thought they looked good.  I was thinking of making these and packing them in kids lunch with some yogurt and fruit/vegetables.  I think I could incorporate chia seeds or something like that, give it a little boost in nutrients.  It is kind of high in sugar but probably no more than a PBJ? (which we do a lot for lunches!)

Pumpkin Cranberry Breakfast Cookies

2 cups canned pumpkin puree
2 large organic eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup olive oil
4 cups whole-wheat flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup dried organic cranberries
1 cup dark chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixer, combine pumpkin, eggs, sugar, vanilla and olive oil. Combine using paddle attachment until just incorporated.
In a large bowl combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture in 1-cup batches, scraping the sides of the bowl between each round. Once all of the flour is combined, gently fold in dried cranberries and dark chocolate.
Using a large spoon, drop balls of dough onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper, spacing a few inches apart. Bake for approximately 13 to 15 minutes. Let cool completely on sheet pans. Remove and store in an airtight container.

credit goes to Chef Rita French via Arizona Republic.

Lemon Crinkle Cookies

I saw this recipe on pinterest and had to try it.  It is a quick and easy cookie recipe and so so good.  We all seem to be obsessed with lemons as well, so I wanted to share.

Lemon Crinkle Cookies
Makes 2-3 dozen

Ingredients:
½ cups butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 whole egg
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoons baking powder
⅛ teaspoons baking soda
1-½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cups powdered sugar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease light colored baking sheets with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Whip in vanilla, egg, lemon zest, and juice. Scrape sides and mix again. Stir in all dry ingredients slowly until just combined, excluding the powdered sugar. Scrape sides of bowl and mix again briefly. Pour powdered sugar onto a large plate. Roll a heaping teaspoon of dough into a ball and roll in powdered sugar. Place on baking sheet and repeat with remaining dough.

Bake for 9-11 minutes or until bottoms begin to barely brown and cookies look matte {not melty or shiny}. Remove from oven and cool cookies about 3 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

*If using a non-stick darker baking tray, reduce baking time by about 2 minutes.

credit to:
Lauren Brennan; laurenslatest.com

No Bake Cookies

Yes I know, you all probably don't need a recipe for no bake cookies. BUT, I really don't know if I've ever made them, and if I did it was not memorable enough to implant in my brain so I decided to find a recipe and try making them myself.

I found this recipe via a serach on pinterest.com for no-bake cookies. I think the picture was the decided factor on choosing this recipe, and the fact that it had been re-pinned a bunch of times.

Chocolate Oatmeal No Bake Cookies
1/2 C Butter
2 C Sugar
1/2 C Milk
4 Tbsp Cocoa
1/2 C Peanut Butter
3- 3 1/2 C Quick cooking Oats
2 tsp. Vanilla

Add the first 4 ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil, and boil for 1 minute. Stir in the next 3 ingredients and drop onto wax/foil paper. Let cool until set.

Pumpkin Bars

Credit for this recipe goes to Aunt Shari and Carol. They included it on the recipe cards that were passed around at my bridal shower (9 years ago now, time goes by too fast!) I added a few changes at the bottom.

Pumpkin Bars
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda

Mix above ingredients together and set aside.

2 c. sugar
2 c. pumpkin pie fillings
4 eggs
1 c. oil

Mix above ingredients together and then combine and mix with dry ingredients. Pour into a greased jellyroll pan. Bake at 350* for 30 minutes. Cool and frost with cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting
3 1/2 c. powdered sugar
3/4 c. butter
1 tsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
4 0z. cream cheese

Combine above ingredients and beat thoroughly. Add more sugar or milk for desired consistency.


My Variation:

I just added dates, nuts, and chocolate chips to the pumpkin bars (about a cup or so each). Because of the sweetness of the dates and chocolate chips I decided not to do the frosting. They are so good, a perfect fall treat.

These could also easily be made into muffins.

"Relatively Healthy-but-Really Really Good" Cookies

I made these this morning, and they were delicious! The coconut oil (which is my favorite thing in the kitchen...ever!) adds a nice flavor and covers up the healthy taste.

1/2 cup xylitol (or you can use regular white sugar)
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup (unrefined) coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon (rounded) salt
2/3 cup goodies (coconut, dried fruit--apricots are yummy--so are mixed berries!, dark chocolate chips)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees (F).

Combine the sugars, oil, egg, and vanilla in a large bowl and mix till thoroughly combined.

In a separate smaller bowl, toss together the flour, oats, baking powder, and salt, stirring to evenly distribute the salt and baking powder.

Mix the dry ingredients into the wet, and then fold in the goodies.

Portion cookie dough, twelve cookies to a sheet. Bake 8-10 Minutes. Cool for a minute or two, then move to a rack to cool completely.

Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have not personally made these, but one of my friends made them and I tried them and they were good. Be advised, do not eat too many at one time.

Nonstick cooking spray

1 cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar

3/4 cup trans-fat-free soft tub margarine spread (I would probably still use real butter, because margarine is nasty)

2 large egg whites

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 can chickpeas, strained and rinsed

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

2 cups flour

1/2 cup old-fashioned oats

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

2. In a large mixing bowl beat the sugar and margarine (butter) until smooth. Beat in egg whites and vanilla, then add chickpeas and chocolate chips. Add flour, oats, baking soda, and salt and mix just until it is all mixed together.

3. cook for 11 to 13 minutes; do not overbake.

THE Sugar Cookies

Ok, you know at the grocery store how they have those sugar cookies with the BRIGHT frosting--the ones that have a different color for each holiday...and they look weird and kind of disgusting but then you take a bite and you're soooo happy and a little hooked and before you know it the box is gone?



THESE.

Well, here's the homemade version! They're so yummy!

Blend together until smooth:

1 1/2 Cup Sugar
1 Cup melted Butter
1 Teaspoon Vanilla...OR Lemon Extract...OR Almond Extract
2 eggs
1 Cup Sour Cream

Combined in separate bowl:

5 Cups Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder

Add dry ingredients to wet and mix until combined.

Make a ball out of the dough and wrap in plastic wrap. Store in the fridge 2-3 hours or until firm. Once dough is firm roll out a portion of the dough onto a floured surface. You want the dough thick. Cut with cookie cutters and place on greases cookie sheet.

Back at 375 for 10-12 min. You don't want them golden brown. They will be the same shade as the uncooked dough.

To make the perfect glossy and smooth frosting simply warm in your Microwave a can of Frosting for about 20 seconds or until smooth and drippy. Dip your cooled cookies face down into the frosting and let the excess frosting drip off. Add Sprinkles right away so they can stick well. When the frosting cools it dries smooth!

I got this recipe from my friend Taryn's Shared Items on google reader, I'll find the source and update soon!

Cranberry Thumbprint Cookies

Pre-heat oven: 375
Bake : 10 min

Thumbprints cookies:

2/3 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 egg Yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 slightly beaten egg whites
1 cup chopped pecans
cranberry sauce (recipe below)

Beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed 30 seconds.
Add sugar. Beat until combined, scraping bowl.
Beat in egg yolk and vanilla until combined.
Beat in as much flour as you can.
Stir in any remaining flour.

Cover and chill dough for and 1 hour or until dough is easy to handle. (optional)

Grease cookie sheet; set aside.
Shape dough into 1 inch balls.
Rolls balls in egg whites , then in nuts.
Place 1 inch apart on the prepared cookie sheet.
Press your thumb into the center of each ball.
Bake in a 375 oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.
Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.
Fill center with cranberry sauce (recipe below)

Cranberry Sauce

1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 12 oz bag cranberry
1 diced apple
2 tsp corn starch

Bring water sugar to a boil.
Add cranberry, return to boil.
Cook 10 min, until pop open.
Take out a cup of liquid and add corn starch to it. Mix until dissolved.
Add the apple to the pot on stove.
Add liquid mix back to it the pot.
Stir. (You can mash cranberry's more depend on your liking).
Take off the heat.

Cool and refrigerate.

Cranberry Pistachio Cookies

This is a fun Christmas cookie because of the green pistachio and the red cranberries.
Start with a sugar cookie dough. I use this recipe for sugar cookies.
Add 1/2 cup of chopped pistachios and a 1/2 cup of chopped dried cranberries (or cherries) after you add the dry ingredients in you sugar cookie dough. Then you can either add white chocolate chips with the pistachios and cherries or you can dip the cookies in melted white chocolate after the cookies are cooled, or you can skip the white chocolate altogether.

Sugar Cookies

This is my favorite sugar cookie recipe. I don't usually roll them out and cut out cute cookies, I just scoop them like I would chocolate chip cookies. You can roll this recipe out, but you will have to add more flour or refrigerate them for a while. I also like to use this as a cookie base for cranberry pistachio cookies (recipe to follow).

2 3/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients. Spoon balls onto ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 8 to 10 min or until golden brown. Let stand on cookie sheet two min. before removing to cool on wire racks.

Candy Cane Cookies

I saw this recipe on the Food Network recently. Tonight we tried it out. Abe had fun rolling the dough into ropes/snakes. It was a pretty simple recipe that I didn't even mess up. And that's AMAZING!

Candy Cane Cookies by Sandra Lee

Ingredients

1 box sugar cookie mix
1/2 stick butter, melted
1 egg
1/3 cup softened cream cheese
1/2 cup all-purpose flour, plus additional for surface
Red food coloring
1 1/2 teaspoons peppermint extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a bowl, combine sugar cookie mix, melted butter, egg, cream cheese, and flour; mix together to form dough.

Separate dough into 2 equal portions and place in 2 different bowls. Add red food coloring gradually to 1 bowl of dough, kneading together until desired shade of red is created. To second bowl of uncolored dough, add peppermint extract and knead together.

On a floured work surface, shape each dough into balls and then roll each ball into 1/4-inch-wide ropes, each about 6 inches long. For each cookie, carefully twist some of the red and white ropes of dough together and shape into a candy cane.

Spread candy canes out on cookie sheets and bake on the top shelf of the oven for about 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool before serving.

Crisp Lemon Sugar Cookies

I just found this on Taste of Home and I'm SOLD. Seriously, they're SO good. And they're not crisp if you only bake them for 5 min. (and they're soooo tasty!)

Ingredients:

* 1/2 cup butter, softened
* 1/2 cup butter-flavored shortening
* 1 cup sugar
* 1 egg
* 1 tablespoon milk
* 2 teaspoons lemon extract
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 3/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* Additional sugar

Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, cream butter, shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, milk and extracts. Combine the flour, salt and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture.
Shape into 1-in. balls or drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Flatten with a glass dipped in sugar.
Bake at 400° for 9-11 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Immediately remove to wire racks to cool. Yield: about 6-1/2 dozen.

Yummy Lemon Cookies

I first had these cookies at a stake event a few months ago. I loved them so much I searched the internet for a recipe. I found one that came close. I made a couple of changes/additions and the result is below.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

1 pckg cake mix (I used a yellow cake mix)
2 eggs
1/3 vegetable oil
juice of 1 lemon
lemon zest

Mix ingredients until well blended. Add 1/2 - 3/4 package white chocolate chips. Drop by the teaspoonful onto cookie sheets.

Bake for 6-9 minutes. Bottoms will be lightly browned.

Everything Cookies

I am entering this recipe for Amy... only because she made these first and loved them and recommended them to me. I asked her to blog them because even though I have access to Pioneer Woman's Recipe, it takes about 10 clicks for me to get them.

And it is nice to know which recipes y'all like because I don't dare try many new recipes. But Amy has a life other than blogging unlike some of us (cough - sputter!), but I wanted to give her credit for discovering these cookies.

And of course, be sure to go see all of Pioneer Woman's photos of the preparation because that's the best part of it all.

Hyacinth’s Everything Cookies

1 1/2 cups butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups brown sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 1/4 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/3 cups quick oats
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups Quaker Granola (oats & honey, yellow box)
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
1 1/2 cups Cran-raisins
1 1/2 cups apricots

Cream butter and sugars. Add egg and vanilla. Next add flour, baking soda, and salt. Add in oatmeal and granola. Fold in pecans and other ingredients. With cookie scoop or two spoons, drop onto cookie sheet and bake at 375 for 10 minutes.


Now don't do what I did and accidentally add twice the salt than required (I halved the recipe but got confused on the salt). If you have low blood pressure come on over and I'll take care of that with just one or two cookies.

Plus, after I added too much salt, for some reason I felt that adding an extra egg would help. huh? I kept thinking it was going to be too dry. Duh... not my best move. My brain seriously freezes when I cook. What's up with that. So, if you need some more cholesterol come and eat my cookies.

And make sure you actually have more than 1/4 cup oats before you start.

I'm certain Amy didn't have that many foul-ups as she and I came from different breeds when it comes to cooking.

But in the end, the taste was scrumptious and i loved the dried fruit. So ignore everything I did wrong and go make some healthy cookies.

Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

I

Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies with Peanut Butter Molasses Buttercream

1 stick butter, softened

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 egg

3/4 cup all-purpose flour (I actually added closer to 1 cup - I like fluffier cookies)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup quick oats

Peanut Butter Molasses Buttercream, recipe follows

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Cream the butter and peanut butter together in a large mixer on high. Add the sugar, brown sugar and vanilla and continue to beat until the mixture is fluffy. Add the egg and beat until combined. Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and oats together in a separate bowl and add to the butter mixture. Mix until well combined.

Place the batter onto a sheet pan by the tablespoonful, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie. Bake in the top half of the oven until the cookies are golden, about 10 minutes. Remove and let cool.

When the cookies are completely cool, put a teaspoonful of the butter cream into the center of half of the cookies. Top with the remaining cookies, pressing down until the filling squeezes out a bit. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Peanut Butter Molasses Buttercream

1 stick butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup peanut butter

3/4 cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons molasses

1 tablespoon heavy cream

Pinch salt

Cream the butter and peanut butter together using an electric mixer. Add the sugar and molasses and beat until thick and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the heavy cream and salt and beat one additional minute. Spread on the cookies immediately.

Yield: about 2 cups

Blue and White Oatmeal Chippers

These are tasty cookies Heather led me to from http://pickypalate.com.

Blue and White Oatmeal Chippers

1 Cup softened unsalted butter
3/4 Cup brown sugar
3/4 Cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/4 Cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 Cup quick oats
1 1/2 Cups frozen blueberries (we bought some tiny ones in a tub that were great!)
1 Cup shredded sweetened coconut
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, coconut and chocolate chips until just combined.
2. Chill dough for a few hours until firm.
3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 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.

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is Daniel posting under Elizabeth... I had a huge chocolate craving last week and wanted cookies as well. Luckily I found this Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe online and have found a new favorite.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup cocoa powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups milk chocolate chips (Guittard Real Milk Chocolate Chips are the best)
  
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In large bowl, beat butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; stir into the butter mixture until well blended. Mix in the chocolate chips and walnuts. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or just until set. Cool slightly on the cookie sheets before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Easiest Peanut Butter Cookies in the World

My roommate Mary (again) just shared the EASIEST PB Cookie Recipe ever. Seriously.

1 Cup Peanut Butter
1 Cup Sugar
1 Egg


Mix Mix. Roll Into Balls. Smash with a fork so it has criss crosses. Cook until they're cooked.

I'm going to the store right now for some PB :)

Soft Ginger Snaps

This recipe is from my mom, and may be by way of Grandma Nelson, but anyways...they are my favorite fall cookies.

Ginger Snaps (soft kind)

3/4 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
(Also add 1 T. water for nicely crackled cookies, especially if it is a dry day.)

Beat well and add:

2 tsp. baking soda
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. each cinnamon, cloves, ginger

Mix well. Roll tablespoon sized pieces of dough in sugar and bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes.