A Little Bit About a Lot of Things

We had so much fun this holiday season at my office. We had about 20 people in my office participate in a cookie swap! I think that I may be going through cookie withdrawal right now…but it was worth it. I thought I would share some of the recipes! Enjoy!

Pecan Puffs

Beat until fluffy:

1 cup vegetable shortening

½ cup powdered sugar

Then add:

2 ½ cups sifted flour

½ tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla

¾ cup chopped pecans

Shape into balls. Bake at 350 degrees on greased sheet 10-12 minutes until light brown. Roll in powdered sugar after cooked. Makes two dozen.

Cranberry Orange Cookies

Makes 3.5-4 dozen cookies

Prep: 20 min

Cook: 15ish min

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

2 tablespoons orange juice

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups chopped cranberries

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest

3 tablespoons orange juice

1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, white sugar and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg until well blended. Mix in 1 teaspoon orange zest and 2 tablespoons orange juice. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; stir into the orange mixture. Mix in cranberries and if using, walnuts, until evenly distributed. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Cookies should be spaced at least 2 inches apart.

3. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes in the preheated oven, until the edges are golden. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.

4. In a small bowl, mix together 1/2 teaspoon orange zest, 3 tablespoons orange juice and confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Spread over the tops of cooled cookies. Let stand until set.

Snickerdoodles from AllRecipes

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.

Sugar Cookies

Cookie:
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup butter, softened (2 sticks)
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract

Icing:
Water
confectionary sugar
food coloring

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In small bowl – stir flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
In large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Blend in the dry ingredients. Roll out dough so that it is 1/8″ thick, cut out cookies using cookie cutters.
Lay out cookies onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden. Let sit on cookie sheet for 2 minutes before removing to another surface to cool.
Once fully cooled, ice cookies and decorate with sprinkles. Lay out flat until icing hardens and enjoy!
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Yields: 4 dozen

Glazed Cider Cookies from Food Network Magazine

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups apple cider

1 cinnamon stick

4 whole allspice berries

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature

2/3 cup packed light brown sugar

1 large egg

2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar

Coarse gold sugar, for decorating

Directions

Bring the apple cider, cinnamon stick and allspice to a simmer in a small pot over medium-high heat. Cook until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 12 minutes; set aside to cool. Remove the cinnamon stick and allspice berries.

Whisk the flour, ground cinnamon, baking powder and baking soda in a medium bowl. Beat the butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the egg and half of the cider mixture and beat until combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low; add the flour mixture and beat until just incorporated. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Form the dough into 3/4-inch balls and arrange 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake, switching the pans halfway through, until golden brown, 9 to 11 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to racks to cool completely.

Make the glaze: Whisk the confectioners’ sugar and the remaining cider mixture in a small bowl until smooth. Spread the glaze on the cookies and top with the coarse sugar. Let set 30 minutes.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/glazed-cider-cookies-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback

Oatmeal Craisin Cookies

Ingredients

Original recipe makes 4 dozen

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups quick cooking oats

· 2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups dried cranberries

Directions

1. Beat butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla for 5 minutes. In another bowl, combine oats, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add to butter mixture 1 cup at a time.

2. Mix in craisins.

3. Drop by spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets and bake for 12-14 minutes at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). These freeze very well. Enjoy!!

Butter Ball Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup butter

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 1/2 cups walnuts, chopped

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

Cream butter, sugar, salt and vanilla.

Blend in flour and nuts.

Scoop and roll into balls.

Bake 325 for 22 to 25 minutes.

Remove from oven roll into powdered sugar. Roll again in powdered sugar next day.

Peanut Butter Cookies with Chocolate Chips from Food Network Magazine

Ingredients

1 cup sugar, 1/4 cup additional to roll cookies

1 stick butter, at room temperature

1 egg

1 cup smooth peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 cups flour

Chocolate chips to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a baking sheet. In a large bowl, cream together sugar and butter. Beat in egg to mixture. Mix in peanut butter and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Stir in salt, baking soda and flour until well combined. Roll dough into 1 inch balls and then roll in sugar. Place on baking sheet and flatten with fork. Bake for 12-15 minutes.

Chocolate Chip Butterscotch Coconut Cookies

Ingredients:

2 cups white whole-wheat or all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon sea salt

3/4 cup virgin coconut oil (melted)

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1 10-oz. pkg. NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels

1 10-oz. pkg. NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Butterscotch Morsels

Directions:

PREHEAT oven to 350° F.

COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl.

BEAT coconut oil in large mixer bowl until smooth. Add brown sugar, granulated sugar and vanilla extract; beat 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. I like to use a small ice cream scoop so that all cookies are the same size.

BAKE for 9 to 12 minutes or until golden brown and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Ingredients

½ cup smooth peanut  butter

½ cup butter or margarine

½ cup sugar

½ cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 ¼ cup flour

¾ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

1 bag of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Miniatures

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Remove wrappers from Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and leave on a plate.

Cream peanut butter, margarine, sugars, egg, and vanilla together. Add dry ingredients. Mix well.

Roll into 40 small balls and place in mini-muffin tins that have been sprayed with no-fat cooking spray.

Bake 350 degress at 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned and center is depressed; remove from oven.

Immediately place peanut butter cup in center of cookie.

Cool completely in muffin pan.

Oreo Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels

30 Oreo cookies

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. Cover oreo cookie with chocolate chip mix and place on ungreased cookie sheet.

BAKE for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Chocolate Peppermint Patty Sandwich Cookies using a recipe from Kraft

Ingredients

2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 pkg. (4 oz.) BAKER’S Unsweetened Chocolate

1 cup butter or margarine

1-1/2

cups sugar, divided

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

22 Peppermint Patties

Directions

MIX flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. Microwave chocolate and butter in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min. or until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Add 1 cup sugar, egg and vanilla; mix well. Stir in flour mixture until well blended. Refrigerate 15 min. or until dough is easy to handle.

HEAT oven to 375°F. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll in remaining sugar. Place, 2 inches apart, on baking sheets.

BAKE 8 to 10 min. or until centers are set. Cool on baking sheets 1 min.  Sandwich a Peppermint patty in between 2 cookies. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.

Tags: chocolate chip cookie, cookies, recipes