S'mores Cookies

Taken from www.cookiemadness.net

6 oz (170 grams) unsalted butter, cool room temperature
1/2 cup (96 grams) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (100 grams) packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon (2 ml) salt
1/2 teaspoon (2 ml) baking soda
1 1/4 cups (160 grams) all-purpose flour
1 cup (around 90 grams) graham cracker crumbs
1 1/2 cups (265 grams) semi-sweet chocolate
1 cup miniature marshmallows (approximately)
2 Hershey Bars, broken into pieces (or other favorite milk chocolate)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C). Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. Cream butter and both sugars with an electric mixer; beat in egg and vanilla. Beat in salt and baking soda making sure they are well distributed and free of lumps; stir in the flour, followed by graham cracker crumbs. Stir in chocolate chips
3. Drop dough by heaping tablespoonfuls onto cookie sheets, spacing about 3 inches apart. Bake for 9 minutes. Remove and quickly press marshmallows and chocolate into cookies. Return to oven and cook until done (about 3 or 4 more minutes)

Makes about 3 dozen

Orange Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• Zest and juice of one medium orange
  
• 1 bag semisweet chocolate chips
  

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
2. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the orange juice and zest, vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon. Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart.
4. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

White Chocolate Blondies

Taken from www.allrecipes.com

• 8 ounces white chocolate, chopped
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x9 inch baking pan. Melt white chocolate and butter in the top of a double boiler, over barely simmering water. Stir occasionally until smooth. Set aside to cool.
2. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat eggs until foamy. With the mixer still running, gradually add the sugar and vanilla. Drizzle in the melted white chocolate mixture. Combine the flour and salt; fold into the white chocolate mixture using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Fold in chocolate chips. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
3. Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool pan on a wire rack before cutting into bars.

Homemade Oreos

Taken from smittenkitchen.com

Makes 25 to 30 sandwich cookies

For the chocolate wafers:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 to 1 1/2 cups sugar*
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1 large egg

For the filling:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Set two racks in the middle of the oven. Preheat to 375 degrees.
2. In a food processor, or bowl of an electric mixer, thoroughly mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda and powder, salt, and sugar. While pulsing, or on low speed, add the butter, and then the egg. Continue processing or mixing until dough comes together in a mass.
3. Take rounded teaspoons of batter and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet approximately 2 inches apart. With moistened hands, slightly flatten the dough. Bake for 9 minutes, rotating once for even baking. Set baking sheets on a rack to cool.
4. To make the cream, place butter and shortening in a mixing bowl, and at low speed, gradually beat in the sugar and vanilla. Turn the mixer on high and beat for 2-3 minutes until filling is light and fluffy.
5. To assemble the cookies, in a pastry bag with a 1/2 inch, round tip, pipe teaspoon-size blobs of cream into the center of one cookie. Place another cookie, equal in size to the first, on top of the cream. Lightly press, to work the filling evenly to the outsides of the cookie. Continue this process until all the cookies have been sandwiched with cream. Dunk generously in a large glass of milk.

Andes Peppermint Chunk Crunchies

1 cup unsalted Butter, softened

1 cup Dark Brown Sugar, packed

1/3 cup granulated Sugar

1 large Egg

2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1 3/4 cups Flour

1 cup old fashioned Oats

1 cup sweetened Flaked Coconut

1 1/2 cups Andes Mint Baking Chips

1 1/4 cups coarsely chopped Pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until fluffy (about 3 minutes). Beat in egg and vanilla extract. On low speed, add baking soda and salt, and then flour. Mix completely. Stir in oats, coconut, pecans, and Andes baking chips. Measure out 2 teaspoons for large or 1 tablespoons for small cookies. Place on lightly greased cookie sheet two inches apart. Press lightly. Sprinkle some of the remaining chips (from the 10 oz. bag) on top of each cookie. Bake for 20 minutes for large cookies or 12-15 minutes for small. Do not overbake.

Surprise Crinkles

Taken from Taste of Home's "Best Loved Cookies" and Bars magazine

• 1 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups packed brown sugar
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 packages (13.3 ounces each) fun-size Milky Way candy bar

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, cream the shortening, butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well.
Roll into 1-1/2-in. balls. Cut each candy bar into fourths; push one portion into the center of each ball, completely covering candy with dough. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets.
Bake at 350° for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown and surface cracks. Remove to wire racks to cool. Yield: 9 dozen.

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Taken from Taste of Home's "Best Loved Cookies & Bars" magazine

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups quick-cooking oats
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 package (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped nuts

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine the oats, flour, pudding mix, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.
Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375° for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks. Yield: about 7 dozen.