Bachelor Button Cookies

As a young child, we made these cookies any time of the year, but I especially remember eating them around Christmas. They are slightly spiced with lots of nuts and are slightly soft with a crispy edge. I highly recommend making them small so they look even more like buttons when they are baked. 

3/4 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar (packed)
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1 cup chopped walnuts
white sugar (about 1/4 cup)

Cream butter,  brown sugar. Add egg and vanilla and beat well (I use a mixer). Combine flour, baking soda, salt, ginger and cinnamon. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture a little at a time. Stir in walnuts. Refrigerate about an hour. Shape dough into tiny balls (1/2 inch diameter), dip top into white sugar and press down with a fork. Bake on a lightly greased cookie sheet at 375 for 8-10 minutes, until lightly brown. If you bake two pans at a time, be sure to move the pans halfway through the baking so they bake evenly.

Cool slightly on pan and remove to cooling racks. Makes 60 cookies.

Rolo Turtle Cookies

Butter pretzels (I use waffles or small twist)
Rolo candy
Half pecans

Heat oven to 250 degrees. Place pretzels on parchment paper on a large baking sheet. Place an unwrapped rolo candy on top of each pretzel.

Place in oven for 3 minutes or just until the rolo candy is soft. Remove from oven and place a half pecan on top and press down. You can also top with another pretzel instead of the pecan.

Cool in refrigerator or in a cold place until chocolate hardens. Makes about 3 dozen pretzel cookies. Salt in the pretzels will break down the chocolate, so eat them quickly!

Shortbread Bites

1/2 c. butter
3 Tbsp. powdered sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups flour
3/4 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp. red, green and white nonpareils

In a food processor, combine all except the nonpareils. Process until mixed well. Remove dough and need until it comes together. Mix in the nonpareils to spread throughout the dough.

Flatten dough into a square about a half inch thick on a piece of wax paper. Wrap in wax paper to cover and freeze for 15 minutes.

Score dough into half-inch squares and then cut. Place dough on an ungreased baking sheet, separating squares into tiny cookies

Bake in the middle of the oven at 325 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until bottoms are just browned. Watch carefully so they don't burn.

Remove to a cooling rack and enjoy!

Mexican Wedding Cakes

Some people call them Russian Tea Cakes, others call them snowballs, but I call them Mexican Wedding Cakes because that's what my mom called them! They melt in your mouth and are soooo easy to make!

1 cup butter (I use 1/2 c. salted and 1/2 c. unsalted), softened
1/2 c. powdered sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups unbleached flour
1 cup finely chopped unsalted pecans
3/4 to 1 cup powdered sugar

Mix 1/2 cup powered sugar, butter, vanilla and salt until light and fluffy. Spoon flour into measuring cup, level off. Add flour, 1 cup at a time, mixing in between until well-blended. Mix in pecans.

Shape into 1-inch balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake at 325 degrees for 15 to 17 minutes or until set, and very slightly brown (do not allow to get browned). Allow cookies to cool for 2 minutes and then roll in powered sugar and cool for about 10 minutes on a wire rack. Roll a second time in powered sugar until well-coated. Cool completely and store in a tightly sealed canister.

 Makes 3-4 dozen cookies.

My Favorite Oatmeal Cookies

This recipe comes from Quaker Oats and is the best, chewiest oatmeal cookies we've ever eaten. I like using organic (fresh) raisins or diced up dates, but if you don't care for them, just leave them out.

1/2 pound (2 sticks), softened butter (I use unsalted butter)
1 c. firmly packed brown sugar (light or dark is fine)
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 1/2 c. unbleached flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. (heaping) ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt (omit if using salted butter)
3 cups Old Fashioned oats, uncooked
1 cup raisins (or dates)
(optional -- add 1/2 c. chopped walnuts)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Beat butter and sugars until creamy. Add vanilla and mix well. Add beaten eggs and mix until thoroughly incorporated.

Combine baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and flour and mix into egg-sugar mixture until well incorporated. Add oats, mix and then raisins or dates and nuts if using. Mix until well incorporated. Raw dough should look like photo.

Drop rounded Tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet -- or line cookie sheet with parchment paper for easier cleanup.

Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on cookie sheet for about a minute or until set and then transfer to a wire cooling rack. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Whirl-o-Ways

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar (sifted)
2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1 cup rolled oats
Sprinkles

Combine butter, sugar and vanilla. Mix until creamy and smooth. Add flour one-half cup at a time, stirring after each 1/2 cup added. Add oats and mix well.

Divide dough in half and place on two pieces of waxed paper large enough to wrap a "log" (see photo below)

Shape each half into 8-inch roll, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Roll each log in sprinkles (use plenty for a more elegant edge). Wrap each log in wax paper and chill in the refrigerator until well chilled and firm (at least 3 hours, although, I usually leave it there overnight).

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Cut dough into 3/8-inch slices and place on ungreased cookie sheet, 1 inch apart. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until edges are set. Makes approximately 3 dozen cookies.

Toll House Cookies

Our favorite chocolate chip cookies are still the old recipe on the back of Nestle's chocolate chips. We've even been known to have eaten some of the cookie dough before it is baked! I've got it memorized, but you never know when you'll need it!

1 cup (2 sticks) softened butter
3/4 c. packed brown sugar
3/4 c. granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
2 1/4 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
(1/2 to 1 c. chopped nuts optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cream butter, both sugars, and vanilla until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating slightly until smooth and glossy. Add baking soda and salt and mix well. Add flour, 1/2 cup at a time until well mixed. Add chocolate chips and nuts (if adding) and mix well.

Chill dough for half hour if desired. Drop about 1 Tbsp. rounded dough on ungreased baking sheet (or baking sheet lined with parchment paper). Bake for 9-11 minutes until golden brown. Allow cookies to cool on the pan for 2 minutes before moving them to a cooking rack.

Makes about 4 dozen  or more cookies. Store in an air-tight canister.

 

Chewy Oatmeal Granola Bars

6 Tbsp. soft butter
1/4 c. raw honey
1/4 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
1/2 c. white whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2- 1 c. added flavorings, such as nuts: sunflower seeds, chopped pecans, almonds, cashews, walnuts, peanuts, or dried fruit: raisins, chopped dates, dried cranberries, or even some sweet deliciousness: chocolate chips, vanilla chips, butterscotch chips, toffee. Try combining several together or use just one.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Coat an 8x8 glass pan with cooking spray. In a bowl, combine butter, honey, brown sugar and vanilla extract. Add oats, flour and baking soda and any added "flavorings" and mix well until combined. You may find it easier to use your hands to mix this up.

Press mixture into the pan firmly and bake for 18-22 minutes or until slightly brown. Cook 10 minutes, then cut into 9-12 bars. Cool completely in the pan and store in a plastic storage bag.

These have chopped dates added.

GIANT GINGER COOKIES

4½ cups all-purpose flour
4 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp baking soda
1½ tsp ground cinnamon (Vietnamese is best)
1 tsp ground cloves
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp cardamom
1½ cups shortening (do not use butter!)
2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
½ cup light molasses
¾ cup coarse sugar...or granulated sugar

Stir together the flour, ginger, soda, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and salt. In a large mixing bowl beat shortening until softened. Add the 2 cups granulated sugar; beat until fluffy. Add eggs and molasses; beat well. Add half of flour mixture; beat until combined. Stir remaining flour mixture in with a wooden spoon. Using a ¼-cup ice cream scoop, shape dough into 2-inch balls. Roll in the coarse or granulated sugar. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet about 2½ inches apart. Bake in a 350F oven for 12 to 14 minutes or until cookies are light brown and puffed. Do not over bake or cookies will not be chewy. Let stand for2 minutes then transfer to cooling rack. Makes 25 four-inch cookies.