Molasses Spice Cookies from Cooks Illustrated: (makes about 22 cookies)
For best flavor, make sure that your spices are fresh. Light or mild
molasses gives the cookies a milder flavor; for a stronger flavor use dark molasses. Either way, measure molasses in a liquid measure. If you find that the dough sticks to your palms as you shape the balls, moisten your hands occasionally in a bowl filled with cold tap water and shake off the excess. Bake the cookies one sheet at a time; if baked two at a time, the cookies started on the bottom rack won't develop the attractive cracks. Remove the cookies from the oven when they still look slightly raw and under-baked.
1/3 cup (about 2 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar, plus 1/2 cup for dipping
2 1/4 cups (11 1/4 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup packed (2 3/4 ounces) dark brown sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup light or dark molasses
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place 1/2 cup for dipping in 8- or 9-inch cake pan.
2. Whisk flour, baking soda, spices, and salt in medium bowl until thoroughly combined; set aside.
3. In standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter with brown sugar and remaining 1/3 cup granulated sugar at medium high speed until light and fluffy,about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low and add yolk and vanilla; increase speed to medium-high and beat until incorporated, about 20 seconds. Reduce speed to medium-low and add molasses; beat until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds, scraping bottom and sides of bowl once with rubber spatula. Reduce speed to lowest setting; add flour mixture and beat until just incorporated, about 30 seconds, scraping down bowl once. Give dough a final stir by hand to ensure that no pockets of flour remain at bottom. Dough will be soft.
4. Using tablespoon measure, scoop heaping tablespoon of dough and roll it between your palms into 1 1/4- to 1 1/2-inch ball; drop by tbsp into cake pan with sugar and repeat to form about 4 balls. Toss balls in sugar to coat and set on prepared baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart. Repeat with remaining dough.
5. Bake, one sheet at a time and reversing position of baking sheet from front to back halfway through baking, until cookies are browned, still puffy, and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft (cookies will look raw between the cracks and seem underdone), about 11 minutes. Do not over-bake.
6. Cool the cookies on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then use wide metal spatula to transfer cookies to wire rack; cool cookies to room temperature and serve.
Sandi Evan’s Pumpkin Bars:
4 eggs
15 oz canned pumpkin
1 ½ cup sugar
1 cup oil
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp soda
Put eggs in bowl, beat and add: sugar, oil, pumpkin and beat. Put dry ingredients together in a bowl, mix thoroughly. Sift if necessary. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients mix stir together, but don’t over mix. Bake at 350° for approx 25 minutes until lightly golden brown or a toothpick comes out clean. Cool and frost.
Cream Cheese Frosting for Pumpkin Bars:
¼ cup softened butter
3 oz cream cheese softened
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar
Mix butter and cream cheese. Mix in powdered sugar, add vanilla.
Double Chocolate Drops:
3 cups flour
1 cup buttermilk or sour milk
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 cup shortening
4 squares (4 oz) unsweetened chocolate
2 cups brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp vanilla
2 6 oz pkg (2 cups) semi-sweet chocolate pieces
1 cup chopped walnuts
Buttercream frosting of choice
Toasted coconut (optional)
Stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In medium saucepan melt shortening and unsweetened chocolate over low heat. Cool 10 minutes. Stir in brown sugar. Add egg, buttermilk, or sour milk, and vanilla, beat until smooth. Add dry ingredients to saucepan mixture and beat until well blended. Stir in chocolate pieces and nuts. Drop from a teaspoon two inches apart onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake in 350° oven about 10 minutes or until done. Cool about 1 minute before removing to wire rack, cook thoroughly. Frost cookies with buttercream frosting. Sprinkle with toasted coconut, if desired. Makes about 42.
Chocolate Chip Carmel Muffin Cookies:
1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® chocolate chip cookie mix
½ cup butter or margarine, softened
1 egg
OR I used my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe
24 round chewy caramels in milk chocolate, from 3 (1.91 oz) rolls, unwrapped
(use Junior caramels . . . like Junior Mints only caramel or Rolos)
72 mini marshmallows (about ¾ cup)
1/3 cup cup semisweet chocolate chips
1. Heat oven to 350°. Spray 24 mini muffin cups with cooking spray.
2. Make cookie dough as directed on package, using butter and egg. Shape dough into 24 (1 ½ inch) balls. Place 1 ball into each muffin cup.
3. Bake 13 to 15 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Remove from oven; firmly press 1 candy into center of each cookie until flush with cookie top. Top each with 3 marshmallows. Bake 2 to 4 minutes longer or until marshmallows are puffed. Cool 10 to 15 minutes. Loosen edges of cookie with small metal spatula and remove to cooling racks. Cool completely.
4. Place chocolate chips in small resealable freezer plastic bag. Microwave on high about 1 minute or until softened. Gently squeeze bag until chocolate is smooth; cut off tiny corner of bag. Squeeze bag to drizzle chocolate over marshmallows. Let stand until hardened, about 10 minutes.
Make 2 dozen cookies
Baker Chocolate Chip Cookies:
Sift together:
2 ¼ cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
Set aside
Blend:
1 cube butter
½ cup Crisco
Add and Mix:
¾ cup white sugar
¾ cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 bag chocolate chips
Walnuts (if you like them)
Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes
Chris Christie’s Molasses Crinkle:
¾ cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
¼ cup molasses
2 ¼ cup flour
2 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp cloves
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
Cream shortening and sugar together. Add egg and molasses. Combine flour, soda, salt and spices in a separate bowl. Add dry to wet ingredients. Chill dough. Roll into (golf ball sized) and roll tops of balls in sugar. Sprinkle with a couple drops of water. Place on greased cookie sheet and bake at 375° for 8-10 minutes. DO NOT OVERBAKE
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies:
2 cup sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup cocoa
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
Powdered sugar
In a large bowl stir together sugar and oil; add cocoa, blending well. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir together flour, baking powder and salt; add to cocoa mixture. Cover and refrigerate until dough is firm enough to handle.
Heat oven to 350°. Grease cookie sheet. Shape dough in 1 inch balls, roll in powdered sugar. Bake 10-12 minutes and no indentations when touched and tops are cracked. Makes about 4 dozen.
Sugar Cookies:
Cream together:
2 cups butter (soften)
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp lemon extract
Add and mix:
6 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
Spoon size scoop, roll in powder sugar and place on cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes 375°. Makes about 7 to 8 doz.
Dreamy Chocolate Bars by Jodi Sadleir:
Step 1:
• Preheat oven to 350°
• Sift together 1 cup flour, ½ cup brown sugar, and ½ cup butter.
• Butter the bottom of a 9x13 pan, and press mixture into bottom.
• Bake until golden brown. About 15-20 minutes.
Sept 2:
• Mix together; 1 cup brown sugar, 2 eggs, 2 tbsp flour, ½ tsp salt, 2 cup chocolate chips, 1 cup chopped nuts and 1 tsp vanilla.
• Spread chocolate chip mixture over cooled crust. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes.
• When cooled, sprinkle with powdered sugar, and cut while still slightly warm.
Options: Use raisins or different nuts in step 2. Try putting cereal in the crust, or granola and nuts. If you use raisins, and granola, put a tsp of cinnamon in the crust as well.
Dutch Apple Pie Bars: 24 bars
Granny Smith apples are suggested, but other apples, such as Empire, Cortland, Golden Delicious, Jonagold, or Braeburn can also be used.
Tip: Pre-cooking the apples in a large nonstick skillet will help evaporate their moisture before baking. This will help keep the crust dry and prevent it from being soggy.
Crust
8 ounces (4 cups) animal crackers
1/3 cup packed (2 1/3 oz) light brown sugar
1/8 tsp salt
6 Tbs (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted/cooled
Streusel
1 cup (5 oz) all purpose flour
1/3 packed (2 1/3 oz) light brown sugar
1/3 cup 2 1/3 cup) granulated sugar
1 tsp yellow cornmeal
6 Tbs (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted/cooled
Filling
2 Tbs unsalted butter
2 pounds (4-6) Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced ¼ inch thick
¼ cup (1 ¾ oz) granulated sugar
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
½ cup (2 ½ oz) golden raisins (optional)
Instructions:
Adjust the oven rack to the middle and heat to 375°. Line a 13/9 baking pan with a foil sling and grease foil.
Process the animal crackers, brown sugar and salt together in a food processor to fine crumbs, about 15 seconds. Drizzle the melted butter over the crumbs and pulse to incorporate, about 10 seconds. Sprinkle the mixture into the prepared pan and press into an even layer with the bottom of a measuring cup. Bake the crust until fragrant and deep golden brown, about 10-13 minutes.
For the streusel: Whisk the flour, sugars, and cornmeal together in a medium bowl. Drizzle with the melted butter and toss with a fork to combine.
For the filling: Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet over med-high heat. Add the apples, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and slat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples have softened and all the liquid has evaporated, about 8-10 minutes. Stir in raisins if using.
Spread the apple mixture over the warm crust and sprinkle with the streusel. Bake the bars until the streusel has browned, 25-30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking.
Let the bars cool completely in the pan, about 2 hours. Remove bars from the pan using the foil, cut into squares and serve.
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