Chocolate Cut Out Cookies

These cookies tasted just like brownies! I thought they were amazing and very easy to put together. I will definitely be putting them on my Christmas cookies list.

Chocolate Cut Out Cookies

Source: marthastewart.com

Ingredients:

1 1/2c flour

3/4c unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2tsp salt

12tbs unsalted butter, room temperature

1c sugar

1 large egg

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. In medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, beat in egg. On low speed, mix in flour mixture. Divide dough in half, and form into 2 disks, each about 3/4in thick. Wrap disks in plastic, chill until firm, at least 45 minutes and up to 2 days.

On lightly floured sheet of waxed paper, using floured rolling pin, roll dough 1/4in thick.

Using 2in to 3in cookie cutters, cut out shapes. Place on baking sheet, spacing them 1in apart.

Bake until surface is dry to touch, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool cookies 1 to 2 minutes on baking sheet. Transfer to rack to cool completely.

Decorate as desired.

Jif Irresistible Peanut Butter Cookies

Yummy! My husband and I loved these cookies. They were very yummy. So much so that I will be making them again this weekend for our housewarming game night party. I only made a half batch. I used my medium cookies scoop 3/4 full and got 2 dozen cookies. I also did not press them down with a fork, but rather just sprinkled the tops with a bit of sugar.


Source: the back of the Jif jar
Ingredients:
3/4c Jif creamy peanut butter
1/2c Crisco all-vegetable shortening (I used butter)
1 1/4c firmly packed light brown sugar
3tbs milk
1tbs vanilla
1 egg
1 3/4c all-purpose flour
3/4tsp salt
3/4tsp baking soda

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375.

Combine Jif peanut butter, Crisco shortening, light brown sugar, milk, and vanilla in large bowl. Beat at medium speed until well blended.

Add egg. Beat until just blended.

Combine flour, salt, and baking soda. Add to creamed mixture at low speed. Mix until just blended.

Drop onto ungreased baking sheet. Flatten in crisscross pattern with tines of fork (I skipped this and just sprinkled with sugar).

Bake for 7 to 8 minutes or until set and just beginning to brown.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Sorry for the blurry photo. I was in a hurry :P These are yummy and fairly "healthy" in the way of cookies. I omitted the raisins because I do not care for them in cookies. You could substitute chocolate chips if you'd like for them but I did not have any on hand.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Source: The Big Red Cookbook from Betty Crocker

Ingredients:

2/3c sugar

2/3c packed brown sugar

1/2c butter or margarine

1/2c shortening (I used applesauce)

1tsp baking soda

1tsp cinnamon

1tsp vanilla

1/2tsp baking powder

1/2tsp salt

2 eggs

2c oats (quick cooking or old fashioned)

1c flour

1c raisins (I omitted)

Directions:

Heat oven to 375.

Beat all ingredients except oats, flour, and raisins in large bowl. Stir in oats, flour, and raisins.

Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2in apart on ungreased (or parchment paper lined) cookie sheet.

Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until light brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.

Fudge and Marshmallow Topped Cocoa Cookies

YUM! You can't go wrong with chocolate and marshmallow. These cookies come together very easily and are not nearly as difficult as the name sounds.



Fudge and Marshmallow Topped Cocoa Cookies
Source: Betty Crocker
Ingredients:
For the cookies:
3/4c sugar
3/4c butter, softened
1/2tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 1/2c all-purpose flour
2tbs unsweet baking cocoa
1/2tsp baking soda
1/4tsp salt
large marshmallows

For the frosting:
1c sugar
1/4c butter
1/4c milk
6oz semisweet chocolate chips (1c)
1-2tbs water

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375.

In a large bowl, beat 3/4c sugar, 3/4c butter, vanilla, and egg. Stir in flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.

Shape dough by slightly rounded teaspoonfuls into 3/4in balls (I used my cookie scoop). Place about 2in apart on ungreased cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake 8-10 minutes or until set. Immediately top each cookie with 1 marshmallow. Return to oven for about 2 minutes or until marshmallows are softened. Lightly press each marshmallow to flatten slightly. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cook 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in small saucepan, heat 1c sugar, 1/4c butter and milk over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture boils. Boil 1 minute. Remove from heat and cool 5 minutes. Stir in chocolate chips until melted. Slowly stir in enough water until frosting is smooth and spreadable. Add more water to retain consistency as frosting sets. Swirl about 1 tbs frosting on each cookie.

MONSTER Cookies!!

These are some of my family's favorite cookies. My grandmother (my Nana) makes these and they do not last long around her 5 boys and 10 grandchildren. They are fabulous! You can, of course, mold these to your liking by changing up the flavors of the chips or adding nuts. This is how my grandmother makes them though and I love them just as is.

When I emailed my grandmother for the recipe she sent me the version that makes like a quadruple batch of cookies. I halved it for the purposes of this recipe (as stated below it will make about 100 cookies using a medium cookie scoop). When I made the cookies I halved it again and I came out with 50 cookies. I went ahead and worked out the calories in each cookie (since I'm trying to keep track) and it comes to about 130 calories per cookie when using a medium cookie scoop.

Enjoy!


MONSTER Cookies
Source: My Nana
Yields: About 100 cookies
Ingredients:
6 eggs
2 1/3 c brown sugar, packed
2 c sugar
1 c butter (2 sticks), softened
1/2 tbs vanilla
4 tsp baking soda
2 2/3 c peanut butter
8 c oatmeal
1/2 c chocolate chips
1/2 c butterscotch chips
1 c M&Ms (I used Easter ones since they were cheapest!)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or grease baking sheets.

Combine ingredients in order given, mixing after each addition.

*I chilled the dough for about 30 minutes to fit my preference. I also chilled the dough in between batches to keep it formed nicely.

Drop dough by heaping tablespoonfuls (I used my medium cookie scoop which is one of the best inventions ever!) on cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart.

Bake about 10-12 minutes (keep an eye on them) until almost set in the middle. Remove from oven and let cool on sheet for a couple minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Who doesn't love a good chocolate chip cookie? I don't know a single person who doesn't. They are the classic baked good. There are so many versions out there though that it might take someone a while to find that perfect one.

Today I was craving chocolate chip cookies. I decided to make my favorite recipe in bar form. I'm so glad I did. They are so yummy and leave the apartment smelling just a good.


Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars:
Source: My Brain but originally from Nestle Toll House

Ingredients:

2 1/4 c flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 c (2 sticks) butter, softened

3/4 c sugar

3/4 c packed brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

1 c chocolate chips

Directions:

Heat oven to 350*

Grease the bottom of a 15x10 in jelly roll pan.

In a small bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

Cream together butter, the sugars, and vanilla in a large bowl with an electric mixer.

Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well between each addition.

Slowly add in dry ingredients until well mixed.

Stir in chocolate chips.

Spread evenly in prepared pan.

Bake about 18 minutes or until golden brown.

Cool in pan on wire rack.

Cookie Platter

This is just a picture of all the yummy cookies I made for the cookie platters this Christmas. All recipes are posted below. Enjoy!

Christmas Cookies!

These are the last of my Christmas baking. To fill out the platter, I made Russian Tea Cakes (aka Mexican Wedding Cookies), Chocolate Drop Cookies, and Snickerdoodles. I pulled all these recipes from the good ole Big Red Betty Crocker Cookbook. I love that thing. It was one of the two cookbooks my mother gave to me when I moved out and went to college. It has definitely came in handy in those 5 1/2 years.

Russian Tea Cakes
Ingredients:
1 c butter or stick margarine, softened
1/2 c powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 c all-purpose flour
3/4 c finely chopped nuts
1/4 tsp salt
Powdered sugar

Directions:
Heat oven to 400*

Mix butter, 1/2 c powdered sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl. Stir in flour, nuts, and salt until dough hold together.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place about 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 10 -12 minutes or until set but not brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool 5 minutes.

Roll warm cookies in powdered sugar. Cool on wire rack 5 minutes. Roll in powdered sugar again.

Chocolate Drop Cookies
Ingredients:
1 c sugar
1/2 c butter or stick margarine, softened
1/3 c buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
1 large egg
2 oz unsweetened baking chocolate, melted and cooled
1 3/4 c all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Directions:
Heat oven to 400*. Grease cookie sheet with shortening or spray with cooking spray.

Beat sugar, butter, buttermilk, vanilla, egg, and chocolate in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Stir in flour, baking soda, and slat.

Drop by rounded tablespoons full about 2 inches apart onto cookie sheet.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until almost no indentation remains when touched in center. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cook completely, about 30 minutes. Frost with Chocolate Frosting (recipe below).

Chocolate Frosting
Ingredients:
2 oz unsweetened baking chocolate
2 tbs butter or stick margarine
2 c powdered sugar
3 tbs hot water

Directions:
Melt chocolate and butter in 2 quart saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Stir in powdered sugar and hot water until smooth. If frosting is too thick, add more water 1 tsp at a time. If frosting is too thin add more powdered sugar 1 tbs at a time.

Snickerdoodles
Ingredients:
1 1/2 c sugar
1/2 c butter or stick margarine, softened
1/2 c shortening
2 large eggs
2 3/4 c all-purpose flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 c sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions:
Heat oven to 400*

Beat 1 1/2 c sugar, thebutter, shortening, and eggs in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed. Stir in flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt.

Shape dough into 1 1/4 inch balls. Mix 1/4 c sugar and the cinnamon. Roll balls in cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.

Sugar Cookie Cutouts

Nothing says Christmas goodies like a nicely decorated, delicious sugar cookie cutout. I don't know how nicely decorated my cookies are, but they sure do taste fabulous. I will work on my decorating skills with the next batch this weekend. But for now, I settled for the classic, delicious sugar cookie straight from Betty Crocker.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c. powdered sugar

1 c. butter or margarine, softened

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. almond extract

1 large egg

2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cream of tartar

Granulated sugar

Directions:

Beat powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, almond extract, and egg in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Stir in remaining ingredients except granulated sugar. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.

Heat oven to 375*. Light grease cookie sheet with shortening or cooking spray.

Divide dough in half. Roll each half 1/4 inch thick on lightly floured surface. Cut into desired shapes with 2 to 2 1/2 inch cookie cutters. Sprinkle with granulated sugar. Place about 2 inches apart on cookie sheet.

Bake 7 to 8 minutes or until edges are light brown. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.

Frosting (courtesy of allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:

4 c. powdered sugar

1/2 c. shortening

5 tbs. milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

food coloring

Directions:

In a large bowl, cream together the sugar, and shortening until smooth. Gradually mix in the milk and vanilla with an electric mixer until smooth and stiff, about 5 minutes. Color with food coloring if desired.

Recipe: Iced Pumpkin Cookies

These babies broke in my brand new Kitchen Aid stand mixer. I love it and expect to up it very often!

Yes, I need to work on my decorating skills but these are so delicious that it doesn't even matter. They are very light and fluffy with a cake like texture. There is just a slight pumpkin taste. So slight that Matt ate two of them even though he "hates" pumpkin.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 14 ounce can pumpkin puree
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; set aside.

In a medium bowl, cream together the 1/2 cup of b utter and white sugar. Add pumpkin, egg, and vanilla to butter mixture, and beat until creamy. Mix in dry ingredients. Drop on cookie sheet by tablespoonfuls; flatten slightly.

Bake 13-17 minutes. Cool cookies, then drizzle glaze.

Glaze:
Ingredients:

1 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine sugar, milk, butter, and vanilla. Add milk as needed to achieve drizzling consistency.

Adapted from: Allrecipes