Soft Peanut Butter Cookies

Have you ever had one of those weeks?  Not the really awesome, great weeks, but the other kind?  I am having one of those.  Sigh.  And when I feel stressed I find therapy in my kitchen.

So today when I was nearing the end of my rope I grabbed a wooden spoon and a bowl and held on for dear life.

These peanut butter cookies made my daughter smile.  And her smile made me smile.  It's getting better already!  :)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
8 Tbs. (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 3/4 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt

Preheat the oven to 325.

Cream the peanut butter with the butter and sugars for 3-4 minutes, then beat in the egg.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Add the flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture and mix until combined.  Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl so that everything is combined evenly.

Scoop dough by the rounded tablespoonful and roll into balls.  Place the balls about 2 in. apart on a baking sheet (can line with parchment paper or aluminum foil if desired), and press down slightly.  Using a fork dipped in flour, press down on the cookie to form an "X" pattern.

Bake for 10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.  Overbaking will cause these chewy cookies to become crunchy, so try to avoid it.

Cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days.  For longer storage wrap in plastic and aluminum and freeze for up to a month.

Santa Cookies

Take favorite sugar dough recipe, cut out circles and bake.

Frost with white frosting.

Use coconut for beard.

Red sprinkles for hat.

Red hot for nose.

Chocolate chips for eyes.

Leave some for Santa.  He likes them.  :)

Lemon Star Cookies

I was in a cooking store in Orem yesterday and I saw yellow sugar crystals. I had just barely seen a recipe in one of my magazine for these cute star cookies with sparkly yellow sugar crystals on them and had wondered to myself where you could purchase yellow sugar crystals. When I saw them in the store I knew it was a sign! I bought them and got excited to make these sparkly little cuties!  I love cookie bling.

Recipe from Taste of Home--Holiday Christmas Cookies and Candies

Ingredients:

For Cookies:
1/2 cup butter-flavored shortening
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 1/2 tsp. lemon extract (I doubled it)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp. grated lemon peel
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

For Icing:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
6 Tbsp. butter
3/4 tsp. lemon extract (again, I doubled it)
3 drops yellow food coloring or paste
3 to 4 Tbsp. milk

Yellow colored sugar crystals (I bought mine at the Bosch store, but you could even use regular sugar crystals, mix them with some yellow food coloring, and bake them for a few minutes on a cookie sheet if you can't find the yellow ones)

Directions:
1.  In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in egg and extract.  Stir in sour cream and peel.  Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.  Divide dough into three balls; cover and refrigerate for 3 hours or until easy to handle.
2.  Remove one portion of dough from the refrigerator at a time.  On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness.  Cut with a floured 2-inch star cookie cutter.  Place 1-inch apart on ungreased baking sheets.
3.  Bake at 375 degrees F. for 6 to 8 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.  Remove to wire racks to cool.
4.  For icing, in a bowl combine the powdered sugar, butter, extract, food coloring if desired and enough milk to achieve spreading consistency.  Ice cookies; sprinkle with colored sugar.

Makes about 3 1/2 dozen medium sized stars.

Andes Mint Cookies

1 Devil's food cake mix

1/2 c. oil

2 eggs

1 pkg. Andes Mints, broken up

Combine all ingredients. Scoop onto cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 9-10 minutes.

So easy and so delicious. I love everything mint!

Windswept Leaf Cookies

I know fall is nearly past, and with all of the snow that fell over the weekend here it's really time to start making the snowflake cookies, but I just couldn't resist.  I saw these in Woman's Day magazine about a month ago and I knew I had to make them.  It took me a while, but I'm so glad I did.  I love them, and my kids think they "are so awesome."  It makes a mom happy when she can impress her kids!

I really liked the sugar cookie recipe too.  It has a tablespoon of pumpkin spice that gives these cookies a really nice, fall flavor.

***Notes to self:  Follow directions exactly next time so you only have to try once.  Do not try and take a shortcut and buy pre-made sugar cookie dough.  As you found out--it does not work.  Chilling the dough really does make a difference, so just do it.  And read the directions completely on the icing.  I learned many of these the hard way, and had to start over.  Lots of wasted time, but they finally turned out in the end.  Only variation for me from original recipe is to cook 1-2 minutes less as my oven seems to bake hot.

Preparation Time: 45 minutes    Total time including chilling and baking: 3 hours

Ingredients:
1 stick (1/2 c.) unsalted butter (not spread)
1/2 c. sugar
1 Tbs. pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp salt (I omitted the salt because the butter I used was already salted)
1 large egg
1 Tbsp. light corn syrup
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/4 c. flour
leaf-shape cookie cutter

Decorating Icing:
1 lbs. box confectioners sugar
1/4 c. powdered egg whites (just whites)
1/3 cup water
yellow, orange, red gel food colors

1. Beat butter, sugar, spice and salt in a large bowl with mixer on mediumhigh until light, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium; add egg and beat until combined. Beat in corn syrup and vanilla. Reduce speed to low; gradually add flour and beat until blended. Shape dough into two disks, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour. 

2. Heat oven to 350ºF. Roll out 1 disk between 2 sheets of wax paper to 1⁄4 in. thick. Remove top layer of wax paper and cut out shapes with cookie cutters. Transfer to a baking sheet. Bake 12 to 14 minutes until cookies are golden. Cool on sheet on wire rack 5 minutes; transfer to rack and cool completely. 

3. Icing: Beat confectioners’ sugar and powdered egg whites in a large bowl with mixer on low speed until combined. Add water; beat until blended. Increase speed to high; beat 8 minutes or until icing is very thick and white. 

4. Divide decorating icing into 3 bowls; tint one each yellow, orange and red. Add a few drops water to thin slightly until easy to spread. Spread a little of each color frosting onto a cookie.  Drag a wooden pick through colors to swirl. Let dry at least 1 hour; repeat with remaining cookies and icing.

In case you are wondering about the powdered egg whites (I was, this was the first time I have used them) you can purchase these at craft stores in the baking section (like Roberts) or at cooking stores.  Use can use meringue powder (it says on the front of the container that it can be used in place of powdered egg whites).  Hmm, I learn something new every day!  Actually, I learned a lot of new techniques from making theses cookies.  They were fun.  I want to make them again next fall!

Nutter Butter Ghost Cookies

I love this one because it is so easy and quick to make.  (This one came from the Martha Stewart Living Magazine in 2001.)  These little ghosts are so cute and easy, and it's something the kids can help with too!  I had a holiday bake-day with my friend, and our four year olds put the eyes on all of these little ghosts.

Enjoy!

You will need:

1 package Nutter Butter peanut butter cookies
white chocolate bark or white chocolate chips
mini chocolate chips

Dip cookies in melted white chocolate.  Lay on waxed paper, add chocolate chips for eyes.

Is it really that simple?  Yes it is!

No Bake Peanut Butter Bars

I got this recipe from Christie Gardiner who got it from Julie Beck (LDS Relief Society General President) who was my one of her young women leaders in my ward growing up.

Warm slowly in sauce pan till sugar dissolves:
1 c sugar
1 c light karo
Dash salt

After warm add:
2 C creamy peanut butter
Take off of stove and add:
4 C rice krispies
Dump on ungreased cookie sheet.

Frosting:
Melt together
½ Cup butter
½ Cup Brown Sugar

Remove from heat and add 2 TBS Milk and 1 tsp Vanilla. QUICKLY stir in 2 ½ cups powdered sugar with a wire wisk. Pour over top and spread. Cool and Cut. Makes 4 dozen.

Scotcheroos

1 c. sugar

1 c. light corn syrup

Mix and cook until it bubbles. Then add:

1 c. peanut butter

6 c. Rice Krispies

*

Mix well. Press into 9 x 13 pan. Melt 6 oz. chocolate chips and 6 oz. butterscotch morsels and spread on top.

Oreo Cookies

2 pkg. devil's food cake mix
4 eggs
1 c. shortening

Pour all ingredients into a large bowl and mix thoroughly with your hands. Roll the dough into small balls. Bake at 350 for 7-9 minutes. Let cool slightly before you remove from cookie sheet.

Filling: (Makes about twice what you really need)
Cream together:

1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
1/2 c. margarine
1 lb. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 1/4 cup flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

In a mixer beat butter and peanut butter for 30 seconds. Add 1/2 cup of the flour, sugars, egg, baking soda, baking powder,and vanilla. Beat until combined, beat in remaining flour. Roll into small balls then place in a mini muffin tin. Bake at 375 for 8-9 minutes. As soon as they come out of the oven press a mini peanut butter cup into each cookie. Cool for about 10 minutes before taking cookies out of tin. Best when they have cooled for about 1 hour. They also freeze well and taste great frozen.

Turkey Cookies

requires (for one turkey):

2 oreo double stuff cookies
1 malted milk balls (like a whopper)
4-6 candy corn

Directions:

Twist 1 oreo cookie apart... try to keep all the "cream" on one side of the cookie. Lay this cookie half (the one with the cream) chocolate side down, this will be the base.

Take the 2nd oreo & place the whole oreo on its side (so it sticks straight up into the air) on the "cream" base.

In front of the oreo on its side, place a malted-milk ball for the turkeys head.
place candy corn, points down, in between the oreo cookie that is standing on it's side. Use a white tip of a candy corn for a beak & dab oreo cookie "cream" dots, using a toothpick, on the malt ball for eyes. from here

Easy Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
4 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, melted
1/2 cup finely chopped PLANTERS Unsalted COCKTAIL Peanuts

PREHEAT oven to 325°F. Mix peanut butter, sugar and egg until well blended. Refrigerate 30 min. Roll peanut butter mixture into 18 balls. Place, 2 inches apart, on ungreased baking sheet. Flatten each ball, in criss-cross pattern, with fork.

BAKE 18 to 20 min. or until lightly browned. Cool 5 min. Remove from baking sheet to wire rack; cool completely.

DIP each end of cookie into melted chocolate, shaking off excess. Dip into chopped peanuts. Place cookies on parchment or wax-paper covered baking sheet. Refrigerate until chocolate hardens.

Spider Cookies

Found this one on Stie-My Favorite Things and she's right! Martha Stewart has nothing on her! I can't wait to try this one with my kids!

Here's what you do:

Take your favorite sugar cookie recipe. And instead of spending hours rolling the dough flat, cutting shapes with cookie cutters, and essentially having flour all over every crevice in your kitchen, make little dough balls and flatten them with your hands. Shhh. Don't tell Martha. It works just as good and takes half the time.

Then mix up the frosting glaze before you bake your cookies. I cannot stress this enough. The cookies will not work if you don't frost them right out of the oven.

For the glaze:
2 3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. shortening
3 Tbsp. water
1 Tbsp. corn syrup
1 tsp. vanilla

Beat all ingredients well. Separate about 3/4 cup of the glaze into another bowl and add desired food coloring. Put the colored glaze into a pastry bag with a small writing tip.

Now, when your cookies are RIGHT out of the oven - and I mean piping hot - take a few off the tray and begin frosting them with the non-colored glaze (I leave the rest on the tray to keep them warm until I frost them). Pipe the colored glaze in a bulls eye like this: Then take a toothpick (or BBQ skewer in my case) and start in the center of the bulls eye and lightly draw lines going to the edge of the cookie. Repeat all around for spiderweb effect. [Hint: I never put the next batch of cookies in the oven until I have decorated the first. You HAVE to do this when the cookies are warm, otherwise the glaze doesn't melt on the cookies and they will look dumb. Trust me. I learned that the hard way.]

Stick in a few [hopefully lead-free] plastic spiders and VOILA! A Halloween treat. From my heart to yours. Enjoy.

Thanks Stie!

Sugar Cookies

(Takes 3 hours)

2 c. sugar
1 c. butter/shortening (or 1/2 of each)
4 eggs
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla (or 2)
1 tsp. baking soda
3 tsp. baking powder
1 c. sour cream
6 c. flour

Mix all--chill 1 hour. Roll on greased/floured counter 1/2-1/4 in. thick. Cook at 350 for 9 minutes. If buying frosting, buy rich and creamy vanilla frosting and add color if you want.