Cookies!

Is there anything better than homemade cookies? Okay, so maybe there are a few things...but homemade cookies, fresh from the oven, are pretty darn good.

Here are six cookie recipes to help you through the day. Enjoy!

TRIPLE CHOCOLATE-CHERRY COOKIES

This one comes from page 62 of the November 2014 issue of Vegetarian Times. It starts off, “Cocoa powder, cocoa nibs, dried cherries, and white chocolate chips come together in a rich, tender cookie that’s as easy to make as traditional chocolate-chip cookies.” Makes 36 cookies.

To view this online, click here.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

7 oz. (14 Tbs.) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup plus 2 Tbs. sugar

3 Tbs. strong coffee or espresso

1 1/2 cups dried cherries

1 cup white chocolate chips

1/2 cup cocoa nibs

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Sift together flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda in large bowl.

Cream butter and sugar in separate bowl with electric mixer. Add coffee, and beat until smooth. Beat in flour mixture. Stir in cherries, chocolate chips, and cocoa nibs.

Use 1-oz. (2 Tbs.) ice cream or cookie scoop to shape dough into balls, and place on baking sheet 2 inches apart. Bake 8 to 12 minutes, or until centers look dry. Cool on baking sheets, then transfer to storage container.

SNOWY VANILLA PECAN CRESCENTS

This begins, “The generosity and sweetness of pueblo foods at Christmastime is embodied in this recipe.”

Servings: 36 Cookies

Source: Enduring Harvests: A Treasury of Native American Foods For Every Season

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1278.shtml

Ingredients

1 cup powdered sugar, divided

2 sticks fat-reduced margarine, suitable for baking (must have 60-70% fat), such as Imperial or Fleischmann's

1/4 tsp salt (optional)

2 tsp vanilla extract

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/4 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped

Directions

Preheat oven to 325F. In a large bowl, cream half of the sugar into the margarine, then add th salt and vanilla extract, blending well. Next add the flour, oats, and nuts, and blend thoroughly.

Place dough by the Tablespoonful on ungreased cookie sheet. Shape into crescents. Bake for 15 minutes or until bottoms are light honey-golden. Remove to wire rack and sift remaining powdered sugar generously over warm crescents.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 75; Fat: 4 g; Sodium: 50 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Carbohydrates: 9 g; Exchanges: 1 Bread; 1 Fat

SOFT GINGER COOKIES

This is from Gesine Bullock-Prado in the January 2013 issue of Runners' World, page 36 (“The Athlete's Palate”). Genise writes, “Dates keep these whole-grain cookies moist without using butter or oil. 'Crystallized ginger adds the perfect bite--spicy and chewy at the same time,' says Bullock-Prado.” Makes 30 cookies.

To view this online, go to http://www.runnersworld.com/recipes/soft-ginger-cookies.

3/4 cup hot coffee

1 cup chopped, pitted dates

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 eggs at room temperature

1/4 cup organic blackstrap molasses

1 1/2 cups organic spelt flour or whole-wheat flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 cup chopped crystallized ginger

1/4 cup turbinado sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine coffee and dates and stir in baking soda. Let it sit for 10 minutes. Put mixture in a food processor; process until nearly smooth. In a bowl, whisk eggs and molasses. Continue whisking and add date puree. In a small bowl, whisk flour, salt, and spices. Stir into date mixture. Stir in ginger pieces until just combined. Freeze till very firm but scoopable (30 minutes). Using a teaspoon, drop dough into little mounds, a few inches apart, on a parchment-lined tray. Sprinkle sugar over cookies. Bake 10 minutes or until they feel spongy yet firm and spring back when gently poked.

Calories Per Cookie: 66; Carbs: 14 g; Fiber: 1 g; Protein: 1 g; Fat: .5 g

PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

This comes from Kim Severson, also n The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Kim wrote, “This version of the childhood favorite came from Christopher Kimball, formerly the publisher and editor of Cook’s Illustrated and Cook’s Country magazines. Mr. Kimball calls for extra crunchy peanut butter here, plus a full cup of roasted salted peanuts, which results in a super crunchy and delightfully salty-sweet treat.” Yield: 4 dozen cookies; Time: 35 minutes.

This was featured in “Who’s Sticking With Us?”, and can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup roasted salted peanuts

1/2 pound (2 sticks) salted butter

1 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup extra-crunchy peanut butter

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preparation

Adjust oven rack to low center position. Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, sift flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside. Place peanuts in a food processor and pulse until the texture of bread crumbs. Set aside.

In bowl of electric mixer or by hand, beat butter until creamy. Add sugars and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping sides as necessary. Then beat in crunchy peanut butter until fully incorporated, followed by eggs and vanilla. Gently stir dry ingredients into peanut butter mixture. Fold in ground peanuts just until incorporated.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Drop dough onto sheet in spoonfuls a little bigger than a golf ball, about two inches apart. Dip a fork in cold water and then press the back into dough, repeating to make a crisscross.

Bake until cookies are puffed and slightly brown along edges, but not top, 11 to 12 minutes. They will not look completely baked. Cool cookies on cookie sheet until set, about 3 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough.

Tip

Cookies will keep, refrigerated in an airtight container, up to 7 days.

PEANUT BUTTER OATMEAL COOKIES

This comes from the September 2008 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 66. It begins, "These goodies get extra crunch and fiber from rolled oats. Feel free to stir in more add-ins, such as 1/2 cup chopped nuts, raisins, or even small candies." Makes 26 cookies in 30 minutes or less.

To view this online, click here.

1 1/2 cups unbleached flour

1/2 cup rolled or old-fashioned oats

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup nonhydrogenated vegetable shortening

1/4 cup canola oil

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1 Tbs. egg replacer powder

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup vegan chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375°F. Combine flour, oats, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl. Beat brown sugar, shortening, and oil with electric mixer until smooth and fluffy. Add peanut butter, and beat until well combined. Stir together 5 Tbs. water and egg replacer powder in measuring cup. Beat egg replacer mixture and vanilla into brown sugar mixture until smooth.

Beat flour mixture into wet mixture, then add chocolate chips and mix until combined. Scoop 1-Tbs. dollops of dough 3 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Flatten dough balls to 1/2-inch thickness with fingers.

Bake 12 minutes, or until cookies are golden brown and dry on top. Cool on baking sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool.

nutritional information Per Cookie: Calories: 148; Protein: 2 g; Total Fat: 7 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 15 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 97 mg; Fiber: 1 g; Sugar: 12 g; Vegan

PEANUT BUTTER SANDWICH COOKIES

This comes from the December 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 55. It starts off, “These sandwich cookies are held together by a rich (and ridiculously easy) chocolate filling.” Makes 24 sandwiches.

To view this online, click here.

Cookies

2 cups smooth natural-style peanut butter

4 oz. Earth Balance margarine (1 stick)

1 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup evaporated cane sugar

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 cup plain soymilk or almond milk

3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/3 cup roasted unsalted peanuts, chopped

Filling

1/2 cup coconut creamer or soy creamer

8 oz. vegan chocolate chips (1 1/4 cups)

To make Cookies: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, or coat with cooking spray.

Cream peanut butter, margarine, brown sugar, cane sugar, and vanilla 2 to 3 minutes with electric mixer, or until smooth. Beat in soymilk and 1/4 cup water.

Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and peanuts in separate bowl. Add flour mixture to peanut butter mixture, and beat just until dough forms.

Scoop 1 Tbs. dough onto prepared baking sheets 2 to 3 inches apart. Make crisscross pattern on top of each Cookie by pressing down with fork. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until edges of Cookies begin to brown. Cool on baking sheet.

To make Filling: Heat creamer in top half of double boiler over medium heat until steaming. Pour hot creamer over chocolate chips in bowl, and let stand 30 seconds. Mix creamer and chocolate with wooden spoon until chocolate is melted, then whisk until smooth.

Spread 2 tsp. Filling on flat sides of 24 Cookies. Top with remaining Cookies.

nutritional information Per Cookie sandwich: Calories: 344; Protein: 7 g; Total Fat: 18 g; Saturated Fat: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 38 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 304 mg; Fiber: 3 g; Sugar: 18 g; Vegan