Tasty Tuesday: Cookies!

It is that time of year when people are baking up a storm– cookies, pies, breads, cakes… yum.  I thought today, being a week from Christmas Day, I’d share some of our favorite cookie recipes… enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 2 cups plus 2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp. baking soda
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed firmly
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Sift flour, baking soda, and salt together.  In large bowl, beat butter, brown sugar, and white sugar together until fluffy.  beat in eggs and vanilla extract.  Slowly beat in flour mixture, until smooth.  Using a spoon, fold chocolate chips into dough.  Cover and place in fridge until firm, at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Drop cookie dough by rounded Tablespoons on greased cookie sheets, about 1″ apart.  Bake until cookies are golden brown, approximately 12-14 minutes.  Let cool for 10 minutes on baking sheet, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Makes about 4 dozen.

Banana Chocolate Chip Softies

• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 ripe banana, smashed to measure about 1/2 cup
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1-1/4 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspon salt
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375°.  Beat butter, brown sugar, and white sugar in a large bowl until fluffy.  Beat in banana, egg, and vanilla,  Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt.  Add to banana mixture and beat until well blended.  Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop dough by rounded teaspoon, 2″ apart on greased cookie sheets.  Bake 9-11 minutes or until edges are golden brown.  Allow to cool for 5 minutes then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Makes 3 dozen.

Note:  Store separate from other cookies.  The banana flavor will transfer.

No-Bake Cookies

• 2 cups white sugar
• 4 Tbs. cocoa
• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 Tbs vanilla
• 3 cups oatmeal

In heavy saucepan, melt butter.  When butter is melted, stir in sugar, cocoa and milk.  Heat to boiling.  Boil 1 minute, remove from heat and add peanut butter, vanilla, and oatmeal.

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto wax paper.  Allow to cook and harden.

Peanut Butter  Cookies

• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 egg
• 1-1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Mix white sugar, brown sugar, peanut butter, shortening, butter and egg together.  Stir in remaining ingredients.  Refrigerate for 2 hours, covered, until dough is firm.

Preheat oven to 375º.  Roll dough into 1-1/4 inch balls.  Place on ungreased cookie sheet, about 3″ apart.  Using a fork, flatten in a criss-cross pattern on top.  Sprinkle lightly with white sugar.

Bake 9-10 minutes or until light golden brown.  Cool 5 minutes on baking sheet, then remove to finish cooling on wire rack.

Makes 30 cookies.

Sugar Cookie Cut Outs

• 1-1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups white sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth.  Beat in eggs and vanilla.  Slowly mix in flour, baking powder, and salt.  Cover and put dough in fridge for at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 400º.  Roll out dough on floured service until it is approximately 1/4″-1/2″ thick.  Cut into shapes with cookie cutters or an upside down glass rim.

Place cookies 1″ apart on ungreased cookie sheets.  Bake 6-8 minutes in oven.  Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet then move to wire rack to finish cooling.

Makes 5 dozen.

The Best Snickerdoodle Cookies

• 1 cup butter
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2-3/4 cups flour
• 2 tsp. cream of tartar
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3 Tbs. sugar
• 3 Tbs. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350º.  Mix butter, sugar, and eggs in large bowl.  Sift together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt.  Blend dry ingredients into butter mixture slowly.

Chill dough and an ungreased cookie sheet for 10 minutes in the fridge.

Mix 3 Tbs sugar and 3 Tbs cinnamon in a small bowl.  Scoop 1″ balls of dough and and roll in the sugar mixture.

Place cookies on chilled, ungreased cookie sheet and bake 10 minutes.

Remove from the cookie sheet immediately and place on wire rack.