Belated Cookie Recipes

I have been meaning to share the cookie recipes from the cookie swap for a while now.  Just call me a slacker – I could give you lots of excuses – but who needs those when we can talk about cookies.  You may be completely over baking and on to your New Year’s resolution of losing “X” number of pounds but you always need a good idea for a sweet treat!  Or at least that’s what I tell myself.

So at the cookie swap we had:  Melt in Your Sugar Cookies, Gingersnaps, Ice Box - Butter Pecan Cookies, Chocolate Caramel Thumbprints and No Bake Chocolate Oatmeal.  So on to the recipes!

Gingersnaps

3 sticks butter	1/2 cup molasses
2 cups sugar	4 cups flour
2 eggs	4 tsp. soda
2 tsp. cinnamon	1 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. cloves

Melt the butter and add the molasses, sugar and eggs.  Beat well.  Sift the dry ingredients together.  Add to the molasses mixture.  Refrigerate overnight.  In the morning, form into small balls and roll in sugar.  Bake on greased baking sheet in a preheated 350* for 8-10 minutes.

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Melt in Your Mouth Sugar Cookies

1 cup powdered sugar	1 cup sugar
2 sticks butter	1 cup oil
2 eggs	4-1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder	1 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. salt	1-1/2 tsp. vanilla

Combine the sugars, butter and oil.  Add the eggs and blend well.  Stir in the dry ingredients with a spoon.  Add the vanilla.  Spoon by teaspoonfuls onto a greased baking sheet.  Flatten with the bottom of a sugar-dipped glass.  Bake in a pre-heated 350* oven for 8-10 minutes.

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Ice Box Butter Pecan Cookies

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
*Mix together

3/4 cup melted butter
1 egg
1 cup of chopped pecans
*Mix together with sugar mixture

2 cups of self-rising flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
*Mix ALL together

On wax paper, form a ball of dough and roll it out into a long roll (log).
Wrap it in wax
Refrigerate at least 24 hours
Slice to cook

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes

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Chocolate Caramel Thumbprints via Better Homes & Garden

1 egg	1/2 cup butter softened
2/3 cup sugar	2 tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla	1 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa	1/4 tsp. salt
16 vanilla caramels, unwrapped	3 tbsp. whipping cream
1-1/4 cup finely chopped pecans	1/2 cup semisweet chocolate pieces
1 tsp. shortening

1. Separate egg; place yolk and white in separate bowls. Cover and chill egg white until needed. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer for 30 seconds. Add sugar and beat well. Beat in egg yolk, milk, and vanilla.

2. In another bowl stir together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Add flour mixture to butter mixture and beat until well combined. Wrap the cookie dough in plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours or until easy to handle.

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a cookie sheet. In a small saucepan heat and stir caramels and whipping cream over low heat until mixture is smooth. Set aside.

4. Slightly beat reserved egg white. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls. Roll the balls in egg white, then in pecans to coat. Place balls 1 inch apart on prepared cookie sheet. Using your thumb, make an indentation in the center of each cookie.

5. Bake for 10 minutes or until edges are firm. If cookie centers puff during baking, repress with your thumb. Spoon melted caramel mixture into indentations of cookies. Transfer cookies to wire racks; cool. (If necessary, reheat caramel mixture to keep it spoonable.)

6. In another saucepan heat and stir chocolate pieces and shortening over low heat until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Let cool slightly. Drizzle chocolate mixture over tops of cookies.* Let stand until chocolate is set. Makes 36 cookies.

*Tip: If desired, transfer the warm chocolate mixture to a resealable plastic bag. Cut a small hole in one corner of the bag. Drizzle cookies with chocolate mixture.

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Chocolate Oatmeal No Bakes

2 cups sugar	1/2 cup cocoa
1 stick butter	1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla	3 cups quick cooking oatmeal
1/2 cup peanut butter

Combine sugar, cocoa, butter and milk in a saucepan. On medium heat, bring to a boil for one full minute.

Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter (optional), vanilla and oatmeal.

Drop by spoonful onto wax paper. Let cool for at least 30 minutes

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Well that gives you 5 super yummy cookies to make once you’ve fallen off your diet  you’re ready for cookies again!

Oh and another interesting tidbit of news…  During the cookie exchange we were discussing blogs as 3 out of the 6 people there have a blog.  (I’ve mentioned my Mom’s blog before 2 Down the Lane and the person who introduced me to the idea of blogging and my sweet friend: Julie @ Three Queens and a King.)  Well I guess our discussion got some creative juices flowing because to my complete delight my friend Tracie has started a blog of her own: A Four Dog Night.  Hop over to these blogs and check these chickies out!