Cookies!

Who doesn't love cookies, especially home-made ones? These recipes are sure to please. Enjoy!

GRANDMA'S PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

This was one of my grandmother's recipes, along with the oatmeal cookie recipe that follows. You can find them in my e-cookbook, Off The Wall Cooking.





1/2 C butter

1/2 C peanut butter

1/2 C sugar

1 egg, well beaten

1 1/4 C flour

3/4 tsp. soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

Cream butter & peanut butter together. Add sugar gradually & cream thoroughly. Add egg. Sift flour once before measuring. Sift flour, soda, baking powder & salt together & add to creamed mixture. Chill dough well, then form into balls the size of walnuts. Place balls on lightly greased baking sheet. Flatten with fork dipped in flour, making criss-cross pattern. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

GRANDMA'S OATMEAL COOKIES



Another one of my grandmother's recipes. When it came to baking, cookies were her specialty. You can also find these in my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking

1 C flour

1 C brown sugar

3 C quick cooking oatmeal (NOT the instant oats!)

1 C butter or margarine

1/4 C boiling water

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

Mix flour & brown sugar. Add oatmeal; stir. Melt butter; add to dry ingredients. Mix baking soda into boiling water; add to other ingredients, stirring well. Place batter into loaf pan, lined with aluminum foil & place in freeze for several hours. Slice & bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes.

Oatmeal Cookie dough, taken from the freezer; showing first cuts before baking



Then cut down the center, like so:



Placed on parchment paper-covered baking sheet, for easier handling



CITRUS TRIO BUTTER DIPPING COOKIES

This recipe is from the Food Network's Melissa d'Arabian.

Prep Time: 30 min; Cook Time: 10 min; Level: Easy; Serves: approximately 80 cookies

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter

4 ounces cream cheese

1 cup sugar

3 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

Dash salt

1 lime, zested

1 orange, zested

1 lemon, zested

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Add the butter, cream cheese and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on medium-high speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the milk and vanilla and mix until blended.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. On the lowest speed, gradually add the flour mixture into the butter mixture, just until blended. Divide the dough into 3 bowls, and gently stir in the different zests among the bowls, making 3 different citrus doughs.

Roll the dough into a long 1/2-inch in diameter rope by hand. Cut the dough into 2-inch lengths and arrange them on a cold ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until golden brown.

Remove from the oven and let cool on the cookie sheet for a few minutes before removing with a spatula to cool completely on baking rack. Serve with tea or coffee, or just nibble...addictive!

Cook's Note: To butter cookie purists: these are also delicious without the zest!

Vegan Variation:

1 cup margarine (2 sticks)

4 ounces vegan cream cheese

1 cup sugar

20 sprays imitation butter flavor (recommended: I Can't Believe it's Not Butter)

3 tablespoons soy milk

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

Dash salt

2 limes, zested

2 oranges, zested

2 lemons, zested

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Add the margarine, vegan cream cheese and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on medium-high speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the butter flavoring, soy milk and vanilla and mix until blended. (The mixture will look a little curdled at this point - scrape down the sides of the bowl.)

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Using a hand mixer on low speed, gradually mix the flour mixture into margarine mixture, only until blended. Divide dough into 3 bowls, and gently stir in the different zests among the bowls, making 3 different citrus doughs.

Using a pastry bag, (or a plastic pastry bag, snip 1/4-inch off the corner) or a sturdy resealable plastic bag. Put 1 of the doughs in the bag and using a 1/4 or 1/2-inch tip, make 2-inch long strips 2-inches apart on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Bake until golden around the edges, (cookies spread very thin), about 8 to 10 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool on the cookie sheet for a few minutes before removing with a spatula to cool completely on baking rack. Serve with tea or coffee, or just nibble...addictive!

ANISE CUTOUTS

This was in an email list that I was on, years ago. Not sure whose recipe it is, but definitely yummy!

1/2 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp aniseed

In a bowl, cream the shortening and the sugar. Add the eggs and the vanilla. Mix well. Combine the flour, baking powder, and the salt. Add to the creamed mixture. Stir in the aniseed. Chill for 2 hours or until the dough is easy to handle. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut with a 2 1/2 inch cookie cutter. Place 1 inch apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 325 F for 7-10 minutes. Cool on wire racks. Makes about 3 1/2 dozen

OLD-FASHIONED SOFT PUMPKIN COOKIES

From another email list, years back. This one indicates that it is from the Very Best Baking Kitchen.

Prep: 10 min; Cooking: 18 min; Cooling time: 2 min cooling ; Yields: 36 cookies

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground 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 LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Glaze (recipe follows)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease baking sheets.

Combine flour, 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 to 18 minutes or until edges are firm. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Drizzle Glaze over cookies.

Glaze:

Combine 2 cups sifted powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons milk, 1 tablespoon melted butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in small bowl until smooth.

For a variation add 1/2 cup chocolate chips or nuts to the recipe. Remember to follow baking instructions before consuming.

Nutrition: Amount Per Serving (1 cookie): Calories 120; Total Fat 3g; Dietary Fiber .5g

WHITE CHIP COOKIES

One last emailing list; I think it was from Taste of Home.

1 pkg. (9 ounce) devil's food cake mix

1 egg

2 tablespoons baking cocoa

2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened

1 tablespoon milk

3/4 cup vanilla or white chips

In a small bowl, combine the cake mix, egg, cocoa, cream cheese, and milk until well blended. The Batter Will Be Thick. Stir in the chips. Drop by tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto a greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 F for 14-16 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Makes 1 dozen cookies.