Vanilla Maple Cookies

1 C shortening
½ C butter, softened
2 C packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp maple flavoring
3 C flour (or more)
½ tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking soda
2 C white chocolate chips

Frosting (Optional):

¼ C butter, softened
4 C powdered sugar
¾ - 1 tsp maple flavoring
4-6 T milk

Cream shortening, butter, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each egg.  Beat in vanilla and maple flavoring.  Combine the flour, salt, and soda; gradually add to creamed mixture.  Stir in white chocolate chips.

Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 350 for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool for 2 minutes before moving to a cooling rack.

Frosting: Cream butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in maple flavoring and enough milk to get a good consistency.  Frost cooled cookies. 

Greek Wedding Cookies

 

 

1 C. butter, softened               

1/4 C. powdered sugar

2 C. flour, sifted

2 C. pecans, very finely chopped
1 tsp. vanilla
1 Tbsp. ice water

 

With electric mixer, blend butter and powdered sugar.  Fold in flour and pecans. 

Blend well.  Add vanilla and ice water.  Mix well.  Roll a small about of dough

into a balls.  Place cookies on ungreased baking sheet.  Bake 350 for 15-20

minutes until lightly browned.  While cookies are hot, (wait a few minutes, or 

cookies will fall apart)  roll gently in more powdered sugar.  Makes 32 cookies.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies with Orange Chocolate Frosting

1 box Betty Crocker gluten free yellow cake mix
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger
1/4 cup apple juice
1 small can pumpkin (10 oz.)
3 eggs
1 cup Enjoy Life dairy free semi-sweet chocolate chips (sold @ Wal-Mart)

Beat all ingredients for 2-3 mins to cake batter consistency.  Spoon on to parchment paper and bake at 360 Degrees for 10-12 mins.


Frosting

3/4 cup cocoa
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3/4 tsp vanilla
3 Tb Earth Balance dairy & soy free buttery spread (sold @ Wal-Mart)
1-2 drops orange essential oil
3-6 Tb rice milk to desired consistency

Almost Great Harvest Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 cups whole wheat flour

¾ cup white flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup butter, softened

1/4  cup shortening
2 cups rolled oats
2 eggs

1-2 tsp vanilla
2 tablespoons molasses
1 tablespoon milk

1 to 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

Beat together brown sugar and butter until well combined. Add oats, eggs, molasses, and milk; beat well. Add dry ingredients to beaten mixture; beat until blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Using a cookie scoop, scoop and drop about 3 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes, until just starting to brown around the outside. Cool 2 minutes on cookie sheets. Remove and cool on racks.

Makes about 45 cookies (with a small cookie scoop) or 24 large cookies (large cookie scoop or 1/4 cup—adjust baking time).

Adapted from source: Great Harvest Bread Company--This is NOT the official Great Harvest recipe... they only use whole wheat flour and butter, but I could not get them to turn out the way I wanted them to without adjusting with some shortening and white flour.

Peanut Butter Cookies

Peanut Butter Cookies (Courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens)

1/2 cup margarine or butter
1/2 cup peanut better
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp vanilla

In a mixing bowl beat butter and peanut butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.  Add 1/2 cup of the flour, the sugars, egg, baking soda, baking powder, and vanilla.  Beat till thoroughly combined.  Beat in remaining flour.

You can flatten by crisscrossing with a fork if desired.

Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes.  Makes about 36 small cookies.

Chocolate Dipped Cherry Cookies

1 box of cherry chip cake mix

1 large egg
1/4 cup of oil
1/4 cup of water

one container cherry chip frosting

1 bag of chocolate chips (or any chocolate to melt)

Directions: Make the cake cookies first, by combining cake mix, egg, oil, and water in bowl.  Mix, and make small cookie balls to put in the oven.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 7-8 min. or until done.  Once done, sandwich the cookies together with cherry chip frosting in the middle, and dip them half-way in melted chocolate.  Let cool (can refrigerate or put in freezer). Serve.

Pistachio Thumbprints

Cookies:
1 cup soft butter or margarine
1/3cup powdered sugar
1 egg                                   
1 tsp vanilla
¾ tsp almond extract          
2 cups flour
1 (3.4) pkg. instant pistachio pudding mix
½ cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 cups finely chopped pecans/or almonds

Cream butter and sugar, then add egg and extracts. Add flour and dry pudding mix. Stir in chips and shape into 1inch balls to roll in nuts. Place on greased cookie sheet and make a thumbprint in center of each cookie. Bake 350 for 10-12 min. cool

Filling:
2Tbsp soft butter or marg.  
1tsp vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar                     
2-3 Tbsp milk

Mix and spoon into center of cooled cookies.

Cookie Exchange 2010

Marilynn hosted another great Cookie Exchange this year! Recipes for the cookies and delicious appetizers to come...