Snickerdoodles

1/2 cup shortening

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup butter

2 eggs

2 1/2 cups flour

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Heat oven to 400 degrees F.  Cream shortening, sugar, butter, and eggs.  Add all dry ingredients.  Mix.  Roll into balls (walnut size).  Roll in mixture of sugar and cinnamon.  Place on an ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake 8-10 minutes.

Molasses Cookies

1 1/3 cups shortening

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup molasses

2 eggs

4 teaspoons baking soda

4 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon cloves

1/2 teaspoon ginger

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

Cream together the shortening, sugar, and molasses.  Add eggs and mix well.  Add the baking soda, flour, cloves, ginger, cinnamon, and salt.  Roll into balls and then roll in sugar.  Bake at 375 degrees F. for 9-12 minutes.

peanut butter cookies

ingredients
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

directions
Cream together the peanut butter, shortening, butter, and sugars.  Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well.  Add the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Mix until just blended.

Roll the cookies into balls (whatever size you want) and then press with a fork.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

old-fashioned soft pumpkin cookies

ingredients
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter (1 stick) softened
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
glaze (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine four, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in medium bowl.  Beat sugar and butter in large mixer bowl until well blended.  Beat in pumpkin, egg and vanilla extract until smooth.  Gradually beat in flour mixture.  Drop by rounded tablespoon onto prepared baking sheets.

Bake for 15-18 minutes or until edges are firm.  Cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes;  remove to wire racks to cool completely.  Drizzle glaze over cookies.

glaze
Combine 2 cups sifted powdered sugar, 3 tablespoon milk (or cream), 1 tablespoon melted butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in small bowl until smooth.

(recipe from verybestbaking.com)

Fun twist - add mini chocolate chips and/or pumpkin flavored cream in the glaze!

old-fashioned sour cream cookies

These cookies are perfect for cutting out and decorating!

1/2 cup shortening or butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
2 2/3 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 cup sour cream

Heat oven to 425 degrees.  Mix shortening, sugar, egg, and vanilla.  Blend dry ingredients and add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream.  Roll 1/4 inch thick on well floured pastry cloth.  Cut with 2-inch cutter, place on greased baking sheet.  Sprinkle with sugar (optional).  Bake 8-10 minutes.  Makes 4 to 5 dozen 2-inch cookies.

Frosting
1 box powered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1-2 Tbsp. butter or cream or cream cheese
couple drops of desired food coloring
add milk 1 Tbsp. at a time until desired consistency


**This recipe is from my mom's recipe collection.  I think it came out of an old Betty Crocker Cookbook.  This is a family favorite! My mom makes these cookies every Valentine's Day.  When we were young, she would frost the cookies and then put our names on them.  Mmmm!

chocolate chip brownies

2 cups brown sugar

3 eggs

2/3 cup oil

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 pkg chocolate chips

Bake in a 16 x 11 in. pan

350 degrees until golden brown (about 30 minutes)

We ate these so many times growing up.  I don't know where my mom got the recipe, but it is one of my favorites!

s'more bars

ingredients

1/2 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs

1 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp salt

5 milk chocolate candy bars (1.55 ounces each)

1 cup marshmallow creme

directions

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in egg and vanilla.  Combine the flour, cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt;  gradually add to creamed mixture.  Set aside 1/2 cup for topping.

Press reaming mixture into a greased 9-in. square baking pan.  Place candy bars over crust;  spread with marshmallow creme.  Crumble remaining graham cracker mixture over top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool on a wire rack.  Cut into bars.  Store in a an airtight container.  Yield: 1 1/2 dozen.

(tasteofhome.com)

forgotten cookies

Heat oven to 350 degrees


2 egg whites
3/4 cup sugar
1 bag chocolate chips


Mix egg whites and sugar until very stiff.  Fold in chips.  Place by spoonfuls onto greased cookies sheets and place in oven.  Turn oven off and leave in overnight.  Makes 2 dozen.


You can also bake them for 1 1/2 hours at about 200 degrees.

carrot cookies

3/4 cup sugar

1 cup shortening

2 eggs

1 1/4 cups cooked, mashed carrots

1 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 cups sifted flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup coconut (opt)

Cream together sugar and shortening.  Add eggs.  Mix well.  Combine remaining ingredients and mix with creamed mixture.  Drop by spoonfuls onto cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes or until light brown.  

Make an icing of powdered sugar and orange juice.  Frost cookies when cooled.

(Adapted from Julienne Dance's recipe.)

homemade oreos (cooks.com)

2 Devil's Food cake mixes

4 eggs

1 1/2 c. shortening

Mix cake mixes, eggs, shortening.  Roll in prune-size balls.  Bake at 350 degrees on cookie sheet for 10 minutes.  Let cool on cookie sheet.

Filling:

8 oz. cream cheese

3 c. powdered sugar

1/2 stick butter

Mix filling - put between 2 cooled cookies.  Makes about 5 dozen.

Pumpkin Cookies

8 ounces butter, softened

1 cup white sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup pumpkin puree

1 cup rolled oats

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Cream together butter, white sugar and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg, vanilla and pumpkin.

3. In a separate bowl, mix together the oats, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and flour. Stir into pumpkin mixture.

4. Drop cookies by the heaping teaspoonful onto cookie sheets covered with parchment paper. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until slightly browned around edges.

5. Remove from oven and place on cooling racks. Frost with your favorite powdered sugar glaze or leave plain.

chocolate chip cookies

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

3 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 (12 oz.) pkg chocolate chips

Cream together the shortening, butter, and sugars. Add the salt, vanilla, and eggs. Mix well. Add the flour and baking soda until blended. Add the chocolate chips last until just mixed. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 12 minutes at 375 degrees.

gluten-free almond crispies

1/3 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup canola oil

1 Tbsp. water

1 tsp. almond extract

1 cup brown rice flour

1/2 cup almond flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp. salt

1/2 cup finely chopped almonds

1. In a small bowl, beat the syrup, oil, water and extract until well blended. Combine the flours, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt; gradually beat into syrup mixture until blended. Stir in almonds.

2. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets; flatten slightly. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. Cool for 1 minute before removing from pans to wire racks.

1 cookie equals 54 calories, 3 g fat

Healthy Cooking/Taste of Home - Aug/Sep 2010