Reindeer cookies (so cute!!)

Jennifer S.

These cute little cookies are sure to be a big hit with the kids this year. Don't forget to leave Santa some with a big glass of milk! Easy to make and super fun to eat. Give some as gifts, great for teachers!

1 roll of premade peanut butter or sugar cookie dough
small pretzels
Mini M & Ms


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Open cookie dough and slice into desired amount of cookies.

Lay the sliced dough on baking sheets about 2" apart. Now pinch the bottom 3rd of the cookie until it resembles a light bulb shape This is your reindeer face! Place a red M&M for his nose (nearest the end you just pinched), and use the blue, green and brown M&Ms as eyes, placed one pretzel on each side of his head for the ears.

Bake for 10 minutes or until very lightly browned around edges. Remove from oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 1-2 minutes. Remove to a cooling rack to finish cooling.

Ultimate Chip Cookies (In-a-jar)

Jennifer S.

1¼ cups flour
¼ cup granulated sugar
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
¼ cup vegetable shortening, softened
½ cup brown sugar, packed
½ cup milk chocolate chips
½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
½ cup white chocolate chips

1. Combine flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, salt, and shortening into a food processor. Pulse until shortening is totally combined.
2. Layer flour mixture, then brown sugar and chocolate chips into 1-qt jar. Pack ingredients down with a gravy ladle before adding the next layer.
3. Cover top of jar with fabric; attach gift tag with ribbon.


Gift tag should say:

Ultimate Chip Cookies
You will need 1/4 cup butter, softened; 1 egg and 1½ teaspoons of vanilla to complete this recipe.

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Beat butter, egg and vanilla in large bowl until blended. (Mixture may appear "curdled").

3. Add cookie mix to butter mixture; stir until well blended.

4. Drop by teaspoonfuls 2" apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown on the edges. Let cool 2 minutes on baking sheets. Cool completely on wire racks.

5. Store in air tight container.

Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Jennifer S.

1/2 pound (2 sticks) margarine or butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
3 cups Quaker® Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
1 cup raisins


1. Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, beat margarine and sugars until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well. Add oats and raisins; mix well.
2. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Store tightly covered.


Variations:
Bar Cookies: Press dough onto bottom of ungreased 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars. Store tightly covered,24 BARS

VARIATIONS: Stir in 1 cup chopped nuts. Substitute 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips or candy-coated chocolate pieces for raisins; omit cinnamon.
Substitute 1 cup diced dried mixed fruit.

HIGH ALTITUDE ADJUSTMENT: Increase flour to 1-3/4 cups and bake as directed.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Jennifer S.

This recipe is featured here

1 cup butter, softened
3 cups sugar
15 ounces pumpkin, canned. NOT pumpkin pie mix.
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
5 cups flour (all-purpose)
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons nutmeg
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ginger, ground
1 teaspoon allspice
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup white chocolate chips

Cream together the butter and sugar.
Beat in pumpkin, egg and vanilla. Mixture will look curdled
Sift together flour, baking soda and powder, nutmeg cinnamon, salt, ginger and allspice.
Mix wet ingredients with dry. Dough will be sticky.
Hand stir in chocolate chips.
Drop by spoonful (2-oz. baking scoop) onto baking sheets.
Bake at 350 for 15 min. Cool for 5 min on baking sheets.
Store cookies in airtight container.

Oatmeal-Applesauce Cookies

Jennifer S.

1 cup flour
1-teaspoon baking powder
1-teaspoon allspice or cinnamon
1/4-teaspoon salt
1/2 cup margarine (or shortening)
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups oatmeal
1 cup applesauce
1 cup raisins (chocolate covered)

1. Heat oven to 375º F.
2. Combine flour, baking powder, spices and salt; set aside.
3. Beat margarine and sugar until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla, beat well.
4. Stir in dry ingredients.
5. Stir in oatmeal, applesauce, and raisins; mix well.
6. Drop dough onto greased baking sheets. (Makes about 2 dozen.)
7. Bake 11 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.
8. Remove from sheets and cool on rack.

Mrs. Fields Peanut Butter Cookies

2 tsp Vanilla
1 c Peanut butter – chunky
3 Eggs
1 c Butter -- softened
1 1/4 c Sugar
1 1/4 c Dark brown sugar
1/4 t Salt
1/2 t Baking soda
2 c Flour

Preheat oven to 300ºF.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, soda, and salt. Mix well with a wire whisk.

In a large bowl, blend sugars using a mixer at medium speed. Add butter and mix to form a grainy paste.

Add eggs, peanut butter, and vanilla. Mix at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the flour mixture and mix at low speed until just mixed. (Do not over mix).

Drop by rounded tablespoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet, 1 1/2 inches apart. With a wet fork, gently press a crisscross pattern on top of the cookies.

Bake for 18-22 minutes until cookies are slightly brown along the edges. Transfer cookies immediately to cool surface with a spatula.

Lofthouse Cookies and Frosting

Cookies

• 1 cup butter
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 cups sour cream
• 5-6 cups flour (until desired consistency for rolling)

Directions

1. Cream together butter and sugar
2. Beat in eggs and sour cream.
3. Mix in dry ingredients.
4. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
5. Preheat oven to 425ºF.
6. Roll out dough to a 1/4 to 3/8 inch thickness using a generous amount of flour.
7. Cut out shapes and bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 8 minutes.
8. Cool on wire rack.
9. Frost and decorate as desired.

Lofthouse Frosting

• 4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 5 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• food coloring (optional)

Directions

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

Jacques Torres's Secret Chocolate Chip Cookies

This delicious recipe for Jacques Torres's secret chocolate chip cookies is one of Martha Stewart’s all-time favorites.
Ingredients
Makes twenty-six 5-inch cookies or 8 1/2 dozen 1 1/4-inch cookies
• 1 pound unsalted butter
• 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 2 1/4 cups packed light-brown sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 3 cups plus 2 tablespoons pastry flour
• 3 cups bread flour
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 pounds Jacques Torres House (60 percent cocoa) Chocolate or other best-quality semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats; set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugars. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Reduce speed to low and add both flours, baking powder, baking soda, vanilla, and chocolate; mix until well combined.
3. Using a 4-ounce scoop for larger cookies or a 1-ounce scoop for smaller cookies, scoop cookie dough onto prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Bake until lightly browned, but still soft, about 20 minutes for larger cookies and about 15 minutes for smaller cookies. Cool slightly on baking sheets before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

Jennifer S.

1 cup butter, melted (I think you could use 1/2 cup and be just fine)
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1 1/2 cup chocolate chips
4 TBS peanut butter

In a medium bowl, mix together butter, cracker crumbs, sugar and 1 cup of peanut butter until well blended.
Press evenly into the bottom of an ungreased 13x9 pan.

Microwave the chocolate chips with 4 TBS peanut butter on high for 1 minute. Stir. Continue to microwave and stir every 30 seconds until smooth.

Spread over the crust. Refrigerate for one hour before cutting into squares. Store leftovers in the fridge.

Makes 32 bars.

Whole Grain Ginger Snap Cookies

* 2 cup(s) all-purpose flour
* 2 cup(s) whole wheat flour
* 2 tablespoon(s) ground ginger
* 2 teaspoon(s) baking soda
* 1 teaspoon(s) ground cinnamon
* 1 teaspoon(s) salt
* 1 cup(s) sugar
* 3/4 cup(s) trans-fat free vegetable oil spread (60% to 70% oil)
* 2 large eggs
* 1 cup(s) dark molasses
* Round white sprinkles (Nonpareils) (optional)

Directions

1. In medium bowl, whisk both flours, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt until blended.
2. In large bowl, with mixer on low speed, beat sugar and oil spread until blended. On high speed, beat until light and creamy, scraping bowl with rubber spatula. Beat in eggs and molasses. On low speed, blend in flour mixture. Cover dough and refrigerate until easier to handle (dough will be sticky), 1 hour.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. With greased hands, shape dough into 1-inch balls. Dip tops of balls in sprinkles (nonpareils); place, 2 1/2 inches apart, on ungreased cookie sheets.
4. Bake cookies until tops are slightly cracked, 9 to 11 minutes. (Cookies will be very soft.) Cool cookies on cookie sheets 1 minute. With metal spatula, transfer cookies to wire rack to cool. Repeat with remaining dough. Store in airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days or in freezer up to 1 month.

Spice Cake Pumpkin Cookies

Kiran W.

1 spice cake mix
1 regular size bag of chocolate chips (I like milk chocolate)
1 regular size can of pumpkin (not sweetened)

mix together
bake 350 for 15 to 20 minutes depending on your oven, and how big you make the cookies.

They are so moist and delish! A crowd pleaser for sure!

Santa's Snickers Surprises

Anna J.

Ingredients:
2 sticks butter
1 c. creamy peanut butter
1 c. light brown sugar
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
3 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
13 oz. package Snickers miniatures
Dove milk chocolate
powdered sugar

Directions:
Combine butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda, and salt to form dough. Cover and chill for 2-3 hours.

Unwrap Snickers. Divide chilled dough into 48 equal pieces. Take one piece, flatten it in the hand, and place a Snickers in the middle of it. Roll the dough into a ball around the Snickers and place on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. (Do not cool on paper towels.)

Melt the Dove milk chocolate. Microwave about 90 seconds and stir until smooth.

Use a spoon to drizzle melted milk chocolate in decorative stripes across tops of cooled cookies. (Dip spoon in chocolate and wiggle hand back and forth over cookies - looks pretty.) Finish with a fine dusting of powdered sugar over the cookies. Festive-looking and scrumptious! Makes 4 dozen.

Four County Sugar Cookies

Michelle H.

2 c butter
2 c oil
2 c granulated sugar
2 c powdered sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cream of tartar
2 tsp vanilla
8 c flour

Cream butter and oil with sugars. Add eggs and beat. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Drop by teaspoons onto a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until bottoms begin to brown.

Caramel-Filled Chocolate Cookies

Michelle H.

2 ½ c. flour
¾ c. unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1 c. sugar
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. butter2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1 c. chopped pecans
48 Rolos, unwrapped
1 tbsp. sugar
4 oz. vanilla-flavored candy coating, if desired



In medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa, and baking soda; mix well. In large bowl, combine 1 c. sugar, brown sugar, and butter; beat until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs; beat well. Add flour mixture; blend well. Stir in ½ of the pecans. If necessary, cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate 30 minutes for easier handling. Heat oven to 375°. For each cookie, with floured hands, shape about1 tbsp. dough around 1 Rolo, covering completely. In small bowl, combine remaining ½ c. pecans and 1 tbsp. sugar. Press one side of each ball into pecan mixture. Place, nut side up, 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 7-10 min or until set and slightly cracked. Cool 2 minutes, remove from cookie sheets. Cool on wire rack for 15 minutes or until completely cooled. Melt candy coating in small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Drizzle over cookies.

Bow Ties

Michelle H.

6 oz. Cream cheese, softened
1 c. butter
2 c. flour
raspberry preserves
apricot preserves
powdered sugar

Cream the cheese and add the butter and flour. Roll to 1/8” thickness. Cut into 2” squares. Put ½ tsp. preserves in center. Fold up 2 opposite corners sealing with a drop of water. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Marbles

Michelle H.

2 c. flour
½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
½ c. brown sugar
½ c. sugar
½ c. butter, softened
½ c. sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla
chocolate chips

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix and set aside. In separate bowl, combine sugars and butter. Then add sour cream and vanilla. Combine with the flour mixture. Melt chocolate chips and fold into dough until “marbled”. Drop onto cookie sheet. Bake 23-25 minutes at 300°.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Michelle H.

2 sticks butter, softened
1 c. sugar
1 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
2 c. flour
2 ½ c. oatmeal, ground
1 bag chocolate chips
5 oz. Shaved chocolate bar

Cream butter and two sugars. Add eggs and vanilla. Blend in flour, salt, soda, and powder. Mix in oats just until blended and then chocolate chips. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto cookie sheets. Bake for 12 minutes at 350°. Look for soft on top.