Grandmother Libby’s Spiced Oatmeal Cookies
My great grandmother used to make these cookies for the holidays. One year I asked her for the recipe, which I am delighted to share with you. They are easy to make. You can add raisins or leave them out.
INGREDIENTS
1 Cup Shortening
2 Cups Brown Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2 Room Temperature Eggs
2 Tablespoons Whole Milk
2 1/2 Cups Unbleached Flour
2 Cups Old-Fashioned Oats
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
Additional Sugar
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In a large-size bowl cream shortening, vanilla and brown sugar. Add eggs and milk. Mix well. In a medium-size bowl combine flour, oats, baking soda, kosher salt and cinnamon. Add to the creamed mixture. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Drop rounded teaspoonfuls onto baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Sprinkle tops with additional sugar. Place into oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Remember that all ovens heat differently. I like to remove my cookies just a tad underdone because they will continue to cook a bit when out of the oven. Remove from oven and let sit on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing. Remove cookies and let cool on wire racks. Makes about 4 dozen.
Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies
I was having a dinner party last night and I knew that my guest is a huge peanut butter lover. These cookies are easy to make and will bring a big smile to a peanut butter lover’s face. These cookies are easy holiday cookies as well. I used mini-kisses because that’s what I had in my pantry. You can use either the regular size kisses or the mini-size kisses made by Hershey’s Chocolate. If you want to make these cookies a bit healthier then use only one cup of unbleached flour and add 3/4 cup whole-wheat flour.
INGREDIENTS
1/2 Cup Shortening (Look In The Natural Food Section)
1/2 Cup Peanut Butter
1/2 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Packed Brown Sugar
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1/8 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Large Egg (Room Temperature)
2 Tablespoons Milk
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
1 3/4 Cups Unbleached Flour
1/4 Cup Sugar (For Rolling Cookies In)
1/2 to 3/4 Cup Milk Chocolate Kisses
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In a large-size bowl beat together shortening and peanut butter with electric mixer for 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. Beat just until combined. Beat in egg, milk, vanilla extract just until combined. Beat in as much flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll cookie balls in 1/4 cup sugar. Place two inches apart on parchment paper lined cookie sheets. Press chocolate kiss into each cookies center. Place in oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes until edges are firm and bottoms are light brown. Remember that each oven has a mind of it’s own and heats differently. Remove from oven and transfer to wire racks to cool. Makes about 4 1/2 dozen cookies.
Smoocharoo Cookies
Give your cookies a cuddle and a kiss. These cookies are great holiday or anytime cookies. I like these cookies soft, but if you like a crisp cookie then keep them in the oven a minute or two longer.
INGREDIENTS
3/4 Cup Shortening (I found a good shortening in the natural foods section)
1 1/4 Cups Light Brown Sugar (Firmly Packed)
2 Tablespoons Milk
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
1 Large Egg (Room Temperature)
1 3/4 Cup Unbleached Flour
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
10 Ounces Mini Kisses (I used Hershey’s Brand)
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. In a large-size bowl beat together the shortening and brown sugar with an electric mixer on a medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in milk, vanilla and egg. Stir in flour, kosher salt and baking soda. Blend in mini kisses. Drop by rounded tablespoonful two inches apart onto parchment paper lined baking sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes for chewy cookies or 11 to 13 minutes for crisp cookies. Remove from oven and cool for 2 minutes on baking sheets. Transfer cookies to cooling racks. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.
Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookies
November is here which, in my book, is the official start of cookie baking season. You’ll like these cookies so much that you will want to pass the recipe on to your children.
INGREDIENTS
1 Cup Shortening
2 Cups Packed Brown Sugar
2 Eggs
2 Tablespoons Milk
2 1/2 Cups Unbleached Flour
2 Cups Old-Fashioned Oats
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Tablespoon Ground Cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large-size bowl, cream shortening and brown sugar. Add eggs and milk. Mix Well. Combine flour, oats, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Add to brown sugar mixture. Drop by rounded teaspoonful about 2 inches apart onto parchment paper lined baking sheets. Place into oven for 12 to 15 minutes. Remember that all ovens are not created equal. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes on baking sheets. Remove from baking sheets and let cool on wire racks. Makes about 4 dozen.
German Chocolate Cookies
German Chocolate Cakes is also one of my favorite cakes so I thought I would try making German Chocolate Cookies. I left the pecans out of this batch, but you can add them if you like. Warm and gooey, nothing says welcome home from a hard day at work like cookies fresh from the oven. Pour some milk and relax!
INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 Cups Unbleached Flour
1 Cup Unsweetened Dark Cocoa Powder
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Cup (2 Sticks) Softened Butter
2 Cups Sugar
2 Eggs
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
2 Cups Sweetened Coconut Flakes
1 Cup Chopped Pecans (Optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium-size bowl combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and kosher salt. In a large-size bowl cream butter and sugar for 5 minutes with electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Slowly add flour mixture to creamed mixture just to combine. Stir in coconut and pecans. Scoop 2 tablespoons dough onto prepared baking sheets. Bake cookies for 12 minutes until edges are set. Remove from oven and cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer to wire racks. Makes about 3 dozen cookies
Red Velvet Cookies
Red Velvet Cake is one of my favorite cakes so I wondered if I could transform them into cookies. With a couple of tries I had great success. I found that putting the dough in the fridge for a couple of hours really helped. Don’t be afraid of using red food coloring. I found a fabulous plant based food coloring that works just as well as the traditional chemical ones.
INGREDIENTS
3 Cups Unbleached Flour
1/2 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Cup Softened Unsalted Butter (2 Sticks)
2 Cups Sugar
2 Large Eggs
1 Tablespoon Red Food Coloring
2 Teaspoons White Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
12 Ounces White Chocolate Chips
Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and kosher salt in medium-size bowl. Beat butter and sugar in large-size bowl for 5 minutes until fluffy. Beat in eggs, food coloring, vanilla, and vinegar. Mix flour mixture into butter mixture just to combine. Stir in white chocolate chips. Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for 2 hours. When ready to bake preheat oven to 350 degrees and remove from fridge. Let cookie dough warm up for 10 minutes before scooping. Scoop dough with ice cream scoop onto lined baking sheets. Bake cookies for 10 to 12 minutes until edges are set. Remember that every oven heats differently. You don’t want to overcook these cookies. Remove from oven and let cookies cook on baking sheets for 5 minutes. Remove from baking sheets and transfer to cooling racks. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.
Dark Chocolate, Hazelnut & Anise Cookies
Thank goodness it’s not so hot out. I’ve been missing turning my oven on to bake delicious cookies. I just don’t feel right without a cookie jar full of cookies.
INGREDIENTS
2 1/4 Cups Unbleached Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Cup Softened Butter
3/4 Cup Sugar
3/4 Cup Packed Brown Sugar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 Teaspoon Anise Extract
2 Large Room Temperature Eggs
2 Cups Dark Chocolate Chips
2 Cups Chopped Roasted Hazelnuts
Preheat your oven to 350° F. In a medium size bowl combine the flour, baking soda and kosher salt. In a separate large size bowl add the butter, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla & anise extracts. Beat on a medium speed until creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in the flour mixture. Do not overbeat. Stir in the dark chocolate chips and hazelnuts. Drop by rounded tablespoonful onto a parchment paper lined baking sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown. Remember that all ovens heat differently so make sure to check at 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on the baking sheets for 4 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.
Blueberry Cookies
If you’re tired of the same old chocolate chip cookie then give my scrumptious Blueberry Cookies a test run. I wouldn’t quite put them in the “healthy” category, but close enough.
INGREDIENTS
2 1/4 Cups Unbleached Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Cup Softened Butter
3/4 Cup Sugar
2 Large Eggs
3/4 Cup Packed Brown Sugar
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
2 Cups Dried Blueberries
Preheat your oven to 375º F. In a small size bowl combine the flour, baking soda and kosher salt. In a large size bowl beat together the butter, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract. Add the eggs one at a time. Beat well after adding each egg. Slowly beat in the flour mixture. Stir in the blueberries. Drop by teaspoonful onto parchment paper line baking sheets. Place into the oven and bake for 9 to 11 minutes. Remember every oven heats differently and if you like your cookies soft then you may want to take them out just a bit early as they will continue to cook for a bit after leaving the oven. Remove from the oven and let cool for 4 minutes on the baking sheet. Remove from the baking sheet and transfer them to wire racks and let cool completely. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.
Oatmeal Cherry Cookies
Over the weekend I was in the mood for oatmeal cookies. I looked all over my pantry for the box of raisins that I could have sworn was in there, but couldn’t locate them. BUT I did see a container filled with dried cherries. The jury is in and I must admit that I like oatmeal cookies better with cherries. Just sayin’.
INGREDIENTS
1/2 Cup Softened Butter
3/4 Cup Packed Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Sugar
2 Eggs
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 1/2 Cups Unbleached Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
3 Cups Old Fashioned Oats
1 Cup Dried Cherries
Preheat your oven to 350º F. In a large size bowl, beat the butter, sugar and brown sugar on a medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add the eggs and vanilla extract. Beat well. In a separate medium size bowl combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and kosher salt. Mix well Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Mix well. Add the oats and dried cherries and mix well. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool for 1 minute on the baking sheet and then remove to a wire rack. Cool completely. Repeat until you have baked all of the cookies. Makes about 4 dozen.
Beer Brownies
Make these Beer Brownies for your father this Father’s Day! He’ll love you for it unless he hates chocolate!
INGREDIENTS
2 Cups Unbleached Flour
2 Cups Sugar
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Cup Softened Butter
1/2 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
3 Eggs
1 Cup Beer (I used Ale)
1 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Chocolate Frosting
Preheat your oven to 350º F. In a large size bowl combine the flour, baking soda, kosher salt and cocoa powder. Set aside. In a separate large size bowl beat together the butter and sugar for 1 minute. Add the eggs one at a time beating in between each addition. Add the vanilla and beat for 20 seconds. Gradually add the flour mixture alternating with the beer until both are added. Beat on slow until smooth. Pour into parchment paper lined 13x9x2 baking pan. Place into the oven and bake for 25 minutes until done. Remember that all ovens heat differently so make sure to check at 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely in the pan. Remove from the pan by lifting the parchment paper. Set onto the counter and frost with the chocolate frosting. Cut into brownies squares. Makes 24 brownies depending on how large or small you cut the brownies.
Chocolate Frosting
INGREDIENTS
1/2 Cup Softened Butter
2/3 Cup Cocoa
3 Cups Powdered Sugar
1/3 Cup Milk
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Place the softened butter into a large size bowl and beat with a mixer for 30 seconds. Add the cocoa and beat for another 30 seconds. Add the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla extract and beat on high for 2 minutes. You will want the consistency to be very creamy without lumps. Makes about 2 cups.
