Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

I made these cookies for the first time as part of my Christmas baking. These are absolutely the best cookies ever. Seriously, these are officially my favorite cookie.

Ingredients

1 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ c creamy peanut butter
½ c granulated sugar
1/3 c light brown sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
½ c rolled oats
1 c semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. On medium speed, cream together the butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and beat to combine. On low speed, gradually add the flour until just combined. Stir in the oats, and then the chocolate chips. Using a tablespoon drop a walnut size dough ball onto prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. (Note: the original recipe suggested a 3 tbsp. sized dough ball but I didn't want monster cookies). Before placing in the oven slightly smash the dough down so it is not in a ball shape. Bake for 6-8 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly golden. Cool completely on the baking sheet and then store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Recipe courtesy: Brown Eyed Baker

Yogurt Cookie Freeze

I saw this recipe on the side of a vanilla wafer box. When you live in South Georgia & it's the summer, you look for anything that doesn't require the oven. These sweet little desserts are perfect. My family loved them & we don't have to tell them they are low fat.

Ingredients
1 1/2 c Strawberry low fat yogurt
1 1/2 c Lite whipped topping, thawed
24 Vanilla wafers (regular or reduced fat)
12 medium muffin paper liners

Directions
Place 1 wafer on the bottom of each muffin liner. Mix the yogurt & whipped topping. Spoon the yogurt/whipped topping mixture on top of the wafers. Place a wafer at an angle on the top of mixture (see photo). Freeze for 1 hour or until firm.

Substitute the strawberry yogurt with any flavor. The possibilities are endless.



Recipe adapted from Nilla Wafer box

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

2 1/4 c all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 c (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 c granulated sugar
3/4 c packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 c semi-sweet chocolate morsels
1 c white chocolate morsels

Directions
Preheat oven to 375° F. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 7 to 9 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.


Recipe adapted from Nestle Toll House

Pecan Pie Tarts

 

 

 

My really good friend, Tammy, made these cute little pecan pie tarts. She said they are delicious and taste just like pecan pie. I think my husband and brother-in-law would really, really like these gems. 

 

Ingredients

Crust

3 oz cream cheese

1 stick butter

1 c all purpose flour

 

Filling

1 egg

3/4 c brown sugar

1 tbsp butter, room temperature

2/3 c pecans, chopped

 

Directions

Crust

Mix all ingredients until soft dough forms. Roll into small balls about the size of a nickel. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

 

Filling

Mix all ingredients.

 

Spray small muffin pan and press 1 dough ball into each muffin cup. Add about 1 teaspoon filling into each. Bake at 325 degrees for 15 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

 

 

Recipe courtesy: Tammy M of Virginia

Homemade Marshmallows

Yes, you read that right. My friend, Rebecca, made homemade marshmallows. Can you believe it?? I love marshmallows so I am not sure if this is a good idea or not.  Seriously, look at those things. They look amazing.

Ingredients

0.75 oz unflavored gelatin (3 envelopes of Knox gelatin)

1/2 c cold water

2 c granulated sugar

2/3 c light corn syrup

1/4 c water

1/4 tsp salt

1 tbsp vanilla extract

Directions

Line 13 x 9 pan with plastic warp and lightly oil. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup cold water. Soak for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, combine sugar, corn syrup ,and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring mixture to a rapid boil and boil hard for 1 minute. Pour the boiling syrup over the soaked gelatin and turn on the mixer, using the whisk attachment to high speed. Add the salt and beat for 12 minutes. After 12 minutes, slowly add vanilla and beat to incorporate. Scrape marshmallow into the prepared pan and spread evenly. (Lightly greasing your hands and the spatula helps.) Take another piece of lightly oiled plastic wrap and press lightly on top of the marshmallow creating a seal. Let mixture sit for a few hours or overnight until cooled and firmly set. In a shallow dish combine equal parts of cornstarch and powdered sugar. Remove marshmallow from pan and cut into equal pieces with scissors. Dredge each piece of marshmallow in the powdered sugar mixture. Store in airtight container. 

Recipe courtesy: Rebecca L of Ohio

Pumpkin Cookies

These pumpkin cookies are amazing. I am trying to figure out why my friend was hiding this recipe from me for so long. The brown sugar icing is heavenly. Even if you don't love pumpkin, you will like these. The cookie is soft and has a slight pumpkin taste with a hint of cinnamon. I can't wait to make these again.

Ingredients
Cookies
1 c shortening
1 c sugar
1 c pumpkin
1 egg
2 c all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt

Icing
3 tbsp butter
4 tsp milk
1/2 c brown sugar
1 c powdered sugar
3/4 tsp vanilla


Directions
Cookies
Cream shortening and sugar. Add pumpkin and mix. Add egg and mix. Add dry ingredients and mix. Spoon onto lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 9-11 minutes. Place cookies on a cooling rack

Icing
In a small saucepan, cook butter, milk and brown sugar on low until dissolved. Cool slightly and add powdered sugar and vanilla. Spoon on top of cookies.

Recipe courtesy: Tammy M of Virginia

Cool Whip Cookies

My sister made these today. She said they are delicious. She made chocolate, but the flavors are endless (red velvet, lemon, devil's food, carrot). They are also inexpensive. I can't wait to make some this week.

Update: I have made red velvet & lemon. They are really good & were a huge hit at church. I will definitely be making these a lot. The red velvet are so pretty & remind me of Christmas. You could take a white cake mix & tint with green food coloring. The red & green cookies would be perfect for a Christmas cookie tray.

Ingredients
1 box cake mix (any flavor)
1 c Cool Whip
1 egg
Powdered sugar

Directions
Mix cake mix, cool whip & egg. Drop by the spoonful into powdered sugar. Roll dough around to cover. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.


 Recipe courtesy: Becky F of Kentucky

Gluten Free Blueberry Breakfast Cookies

I am so thankful for my friend, Lisa, for sending us all these gluten free recipes. She recently had to start eating G/F and has really jumped in with both feet to learn the food. She sent this recipe with the word "FANTASTIC". I love anything with blueberries and this looks yummy.

Ingredients

3/4 c quinoa flakes

3/4 c brown rice flour, finely ground

1/2 c tapioca flour or starch

5 tbsp potato starch (NOT potato flour)
1/4 c unsweetened shredded coconut

1 tsp gluten free baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp xanthan gum or guar gum

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 c honey (TIP: spray your measuring cup with non-stick cooking spray and your honey will slide right out)

3 tbsp oil of your choice
1 egg
1 c blueberries

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment. Set aside. In a bowl, combine all dry ingredients and mix well. Add honey, oil, and egg. Mix well. Fold blueberries in until combined. Using wet hands, divide the dough into 6 balls using about 1/3 cup of batter. Put dough on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 18 minutes until golden. Let cool slightly on pan before removing. Cool on cooling rack.

Courtesy of: Lisa B of Tennessee

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

This might be my new favorite cookie. They are a combination of chewy on the inside & crunchy on the outside. Perfect!

Ingredients
1 c oil
1 c sugar
1 c brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 c dry quick cooking oats
6 oz chocolate chips

Directions
Cream oil & sugars. Add eggs & vanilla. Mix well. Beat in flour, baking soda, baking powder & salt. Stir in oats & chocolate chips. Drop by teaspoonful onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Let cookies sit on pan for 3-5 minutes before removing & placing on a cooling rack.

Ultimate Chocolate Chip Oreo Cookie Brownie Bars

My family was in from Colorado, so I had them over for dinner... Dinner was just okay...BUT then I brought out these brownies- nobody cared that dinner was just okay.  These are pure yumminess. Another find from Pinterest.

Ingredients:
1 package of "break and bake" chocolate chip cookie dough
1 package double stuff Oreo Cookies
1 package of Fudge Brownie Mix

Directions:
Line a 9 X 13 pan with waxed paper and spray the waxed paper with cooking spray. (Yes, you can bake with waxed paper- I NEVER knew this!) This will make the brownies so much easier to get out, BUT do not let them cool completely in the pan- you will have to peel waxed paper off the bottom. 

Break apart the cookie dough and arrange in the bottom of the pan.  Place Oreos on top of the cookie dough. Prepare the brownie mix according to package direction and pour over the top of the Oreos and Cookie dough.

Bake in a 350 degree oven 45-55 minutes. Top with vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!!!!

The original recipe (she uses homemade cookie dough; my motto is simple...but check it out!)  http://www.kevinandamanda.com/whatsnew/new-recipes/ultimate-chocolate-chip-cookie-n-oreo-fudge-brownie-bar.html

Pumpkin Cookies

Two of my favorite things - cookies and pumpkin. You put them together and that sounds like a great fall treat. Thanks to Brooke for sending me this recipe. I can't wait to try these.

Ingredients
Cookies
1 c shortening
1 c white sugar
1 c pumpkin
1 egg
2 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 c raisins, optional

Frosting
3 tbsp butter
4 tsp milk
1/2 c brown sugar
1 c powdered sugar
1 tsp maple flavoring

Directions
Cookies- Cream shortening and sugar. Add pumpkin and mix. Add egg and mix well. Add dry ingredients and mix until well blended. Drop by spoonful onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Frosting- Melt butter over stove. Add milk and brown sugar until it dissolves. Remove from stove and add powdered sugar and maple flavoring. Spread over warm cookies.

Recipe courtesy - Brooke C of Oklahoma

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies

Thanks to my friend Lisa for sending me a gluten free cookie recipe. I am always looking for new recipes especially ones for restricted diets.

Ingredients
1 c peanut butter
1 c sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together. Scoop and roll into balls. Place onto a cookie sheet 2 inches apart. Flatten slightly with a fork. Bake 8-10 minutes. You can also dip one end into melted chocolate.

Recipe courtesy - Lisa B of Tennessee

Caramelitas

Ingredients
1 c + 3 tbsp flour
1 c quick oats
3/4 c brown sugar, packed
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tbsp salt
3/4 c butter, melted
1 (12.25 oz.) jar caramel topping
1 (6 oz.) pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 c walnuts

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine 1 cup flour and next 5 ingredients. Beat at low speed until well mixed. Pat evenly into ungreased 9" x 13" pan. Bake 10 minutes. Stir topping and 3 tablespoons flour until mixed. Remove pan from oven, sprinkle chocolate chips and nuts on cake. Drizzle caramel topping on top of nuts and chips. Return to oven. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until brown. Cool before cutting into bars, 2 1/2". Yield: 3 dozen bars.


Recipe Courtesy: Tammy M of Georgia

Oatmeal Craisin Cookies

These are my sister's famous oatmeal craisin cookies. They are delicious. Her husband makes a special request for these very cookies.

Ingredients
1 c butter, softened
1 1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups oats
1 cup pecans
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup white chocolate chips

Directions
Cream together the butter, brown sugar, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Add flour, baking soda, salt and oats. Stir well. Then add pecans, cranberries and chips. Stir well. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Recipe courtesy - Becky F of Kentucky

White Chocolate Bird Nests

Ingredients
2 - 10 oz packages of white baking chips
10 oz package pretzel sticks
25 Peeps
Pastel MM's or jelly beans

Directions
Melt white baking chips - set aside 1/2 cup. Stir pretzel sticks into chocolate until well coated. Scoop 25 nests onto waxed paper: use two forts to arrange coated pretzels into a 3-inch circle.
Dip a Peep candy into melted chocolate and place onto each nest. Use melted chocolate to attach candy ''eggs''.

Recipe courtesy - Rebecca L of Ohio

Blondie Bars

Ingredients

2 3/4 c all purpose flour

2 c firmly packed brown sugar

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

4 eggs

3/4 c vegetable oil

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 c semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in bowl. Stir in eggs, oil and vanilla, mixing well. Stir in chocolate chips until blended. Spread into greased 9x13 pan. Bake 45-50 minutes until light golden brown and edges just begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely and cut into bars.

Royal Icing

Ingredients

3 tbsp Meringue Powder (see picture above)

4 c powdered sugar

6 tbsp warm water**

Yield: 3 cups of icing

Directions

Beat all ingredients until icing forms peaks (7-10 minutes at low speed with a heavy duty mixer, 10-12 minutes at high speed with a hand held mixer). For piping, place icing in a decorating bag. You can also tint the icing using food coloring. Be sure to keep icing covered or inside a decorating bag because it hardens very fast.

Note: keep all utensils completely grease-free for proper icing consistency.

* For stiffer icing, use 1 tbsp less water

**When using large counter top mixer, use 1 tbsp less water.

Recipe courtesy: Wilton

Gingerbread Cookies

I have been making gingerbread cookies for several years. And I must admit I have been using a refrigerated Pillsbury dough, until this year. I couldn't locate it anywhere in this town! We could not have Christmas without the gingerbread cookies so I decided to make my own. I searched many recipes & decided to go with Paula Deen's. They were delicious! I think the best thing was the smell that came out of the oven & filled my entire house. Awesome!





Ingredients
1 stick of butter, softened
3/4 c brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1/4 c molasses
3 3/4 c all purpose flour
2 tsp ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt



Directions
Using an electric mixer, cream the sugar & butter until well combined. Add the eggs & molasses & mix until combined. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg & salt. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture & combine with a spoon (I found it easier to combine with my hands). Remove the dough from the bowl & wrap in plastic wrap. I decided to make smaller balls of dough (rather than one large ball) & wrap each in plastic wrap (see photo below). Place dough in refrigerator until firm, about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Allow the dough to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes, until pliable. Take about 1/2 cup of dough at a time & roll until about 1/8 inch think. Cut out with gingerbread cookie cutter(s). Transfer to a cookie sheet. Bake for 7-10 minutes. The recipe called for 10 minutes but I started with 7 minutes & found that sufficient. Transfer to wire racks to cool. I like to decorate mine with Royal Icing (click for recipe).



Recipe courtesy: Paula Deen

Peanut Butter Cup Blossoms

So when I made Peanut Butter Blossoms I decided to also make some with Reese Cups instead of Kisses. Well, they turned out awesome! You could actually do your recipe with half Reese Cups & half Kisses. You would be a hero to some ;-) I bought several bags of Reese Cups on halloween clearance with the intent to bake with them. This one was great!

Ingredients
1 c shortening
1 c sugar
1 c brown sugar
2 eggs
1 c peanut butter
3 1/2 c self rising flour
2 tbsp milk
Reese's Peanut Butter Cups (unwrapped - kids are a great help)

Directions
Cream shortening, sugar & brown sugar until fluffy. Add eggs & peanut butter. Mix. Add flour & milk. Mix until combined. Roll dough into balls about the size of a walnut. Place on a greased cookie sheet & bake at 350 degrees for 7 minutes. Remove quickly & press a peanut butter cup in the center of each ball. Return to oven & bake 5 more minutes. Remove & cool on a wire rack.

Yield: 7-8 dozen (recipe can be halved or you can freeze cookies for a later use)

Peanut Butter Blossoms

Peanut Butter Blossoms always remind me of Christmas. I guess because we always had them gracing our Christmas cookie trays. For the first time in my life, I broke the taboo & made them in November. I bought several bags of Hershey kisses on halloween clearance (hooray for good deals) so I decided to use some & make these cookies for our church Home Team.

Ingredients
1 c shortening
1 c sugar
1 c brown sugar
2 eggs
1 c peanut butter
3 1/2 c self rising flour
2 tbsp milk
Hershey Kisses (unwrapped - kids are a great help)

Directions
Cream shortening, sugar & brown sugar until fluffy. Add eggs & peanut butter. Mix. Add flour & milk. Mix until combined. Roll dough into balls about the size of a walnut. Place on a greased cookie sheet & bake at 350 degrees for 7 minutes. Remove quickly & press a kiss in the center of each ball. Return to oven & bake 5 more minutes. Remove & cool on a wire rack.

Yield: 7-8 dozen (recipe can be halved or you can freeze cookies for a later use)