COOKIES, BARS, & BROWNIES
Almond-Coconut Squares
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 3 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar 1 stick (4 ounces) butter, cut into pieces 1 ½ cups packed light brown sugar 2 eggs, lightly beaten 1 teaspoon almond extract ½ cup shredded coconut ¾ cup chopped, blanched almonds
Preheat oven to 325°F. In medium bowl, combine 1 cup of flour with 2 tbsp of confectioner’s sugar. Add the butter and cut in until mixture is coarse crumbs.
Pat into bottom of a 9”x13” buttered baking pan.
Bake about 15 minutes or till lightly browned.In another bowl, combine brown sugar, eggs, almond extract, coconut, almonds, and remaining 2 tablespoons of flour. Mix well. Spread over crust.
Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick in center comes out clean. Sprinkle with 1 tbsp. conf. Sugar. Let cool before cutting.Andra Ferguson
“Baby Ruth” Cookies
3 ½ cups flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 ½ cups sugar 1 cup butter 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 6 (1.2 oz.) “Baby Ruth” candy bars, cut into small pieces
Blend flour with salt and soda in a small bowl. Gradually add sugar to butter in mixing bowl.
Cream the mix until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, vanilla and beat well. Blend in dry ingredients gradually and mix thoroughly. Stir in candy pieces.
Chill dough for easy handling. Drop by tablespoons onto baking sheet.
Bake at 375° F for 10-12 minutes until golden brown.
Best Cocoa Brownies
1 cup coarsely chopped nuts – walnuts or pecans ½ pound (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature 2 cups sugar 3 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup sifted flour ½ teaspoon salt ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Place nuts on sheet and roast in oven for 5 minutes until lightly browned. Do NOT over roast. Butter and flour a 9” x 13” pan.
In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Sift together flour, salt, and cocoa. Add to batter, beating until well blended. Stir in roasted nuts and turn into prepared pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes at 350° F, until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan.
Peg's Note: Nice and chewy. Watch closely so as not to overcook or they will be dry.
Best Butter Cookie
1 cup butter 1 egg 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon vanilla
Cream butter then beat in egg and vanilla. Combine flour and salt and add to butter mixture.
Chill dough 3-4 hours before rolling. Roll out to ¼-inch thickness. Cut with cookie cutters. Bake 8-10 minutes at 350° F until lightly colored.
Betsey’s Brownies
4 ounces baking chocolate ¼ pound (1 stick) butter 1 ¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 3 large eggs, lightly beaten ¾ cup all-purpose flour
Melt chocolate and butter over low heat. Cool for 5 minutes. Add sugar and stir well. Beat with an electric mixer for 2 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until well blended.
Add flour, beat until mixture is very blended, and looks shiny and velvety, about 1 minute.
Bake at 350° F for about 20-25 minutes, or until crust forms on top and toothpick comes out with moist crumbs.Fudge Frosting
1 ½ squares chocolate, melted ¼ cup sugar ¼ cup evaporated milk, at room temperature
In a blender, combine melted chocolate, sugar, and evaporated milk.
Process 3-5 minutes until mixture is firm and shiny (the sound of the blender will change when mixture firms).
Frost the brownies with a thin layer.
Betsey's Note: Mom called these Betsey’s Brownies because these were the only brownies where she would leave out the nuts, just for me.
“Cakey” Brownies
6 tablespoons butter 2 1-ouncesquares unsweetened chocolate, chopped 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder ¼ cup hot water ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 cup sugar 2 large eggs 1 tablespoon vanilla ⅔ cup flour ½ teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon salt
In a large glass mixing bowl, melt butter and chocolate in microwave oven on high 1 to ½ minutes; whisk until smooth.
Dissolve espresso powder in hot water; whisk in unsweetened cocoa powder. Whisk espresso mixture into chocolate mixture. Whisk in sugar, eggs, and vanilla.
In a bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt. Stir into chocolate mixture until combined. Pour batter into a greased foil-lined pan and bake 30 to 32 minute at 350° F, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs.
Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies
2 ¼ cups flour 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda 1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice 1 cup butter, softened 1 cup sugar 2 eggs 1 16-ounce can pure pumpkin 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup walnuts 1 12-ounce bag semisweet chocolate chips
Grease two cookie sheets.
Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and pumpkin pie spice together in a mixing bowl.
Beat the butter and sugar together in a separate bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, on at a time, until smooth and well blended. Mix in the pumpkin and vanilla extract until smooth. Gradually add the flour mixture, stirring to make a smooth batter. Stir in the walnuts and chocolate chips.
Drop by tablespoon onto prepared sheets. Bake at 375° F for 18 to 20 minutes. Cool briefly on the baking sheet before moving to wire cooling racks.
Chocolate Shortbread
2 cups all-purpose flour ½ cup sifted unsweetened cocoa 1 cup confectioner’s sugar ¼ teaspoon salt ½ lb. (2 Sticks) butter 1 teaspoon vanilla
Cream the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add vanilla, sugar, and salt. Beat to mix. On low speed, add the flour and cocoa, scraping bowl and beating only until mix holds together. If dough is not perfectly smooth, place in on work surface and knead it briefly.
Form dough into ball; flatten slightly. Flour a pastry cloth and rolling pin. Roll dough out to ½ or ¼ thickness. Cut rounds and place on unbuttered sheets. Prick each cookie three times in a vertical row in the middle of the cookie.
Bake at 300° F for 25-30 minutes for ½” thick, or 10-15 minutes for ¼” thick, or until firm to the touch. Watch these cookies carefully as they burn easily.
Peg's Note: “if shortbread cookies are good, these are better. Habit forming!” These can be made in a food processor quick as a wink. Have butter firm and cold from the refrigerator. Put all ingredients in at once and process until well mixed and smooth looking. Most chocolate cookies do not have much chocolate flavor when cooked. These have an intense chocolate flavor.
Cocoa-White Chocolate Chunk Cookies
8 tablespoon (1 stick) butter, room temperature ½ cup packed dark brown sugar ½ granulated sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla ½ teaspoon salt ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 egg ½ teaspoon baking soda 1 cup flour 12 ounces (2 cups) coarsely chopped white chocolate
In a large bowl combine butter, sugars, vanilla, and salt and beat until fluffy. Beat in cocoa and then the egg and baking soda. Stir in flour and then chocolate. Refrigerate until firm for at least 4 hours. Form balls from 2-3 tablespoons of dough.
Bake on greased cookie sheets at 325°F for about 12-14 minutes.
Cream Cheese Cookies
2 sticks butter 1 8-oounce package of cream cheese, softened 1 ½ cup granulated sugar 2 cups flour
Blend butter and cream cheese. Add sugar and flour and mix until well blended. Drop by tablespoonful onto greased cookie sheet. Flatten with glass dipped in sugar.
Bake at 350° F for about 15 minutes until edges begin to brown.
Katherine Guimont
Crisp Lemon Cookies
1 cup flour ½ cup sugar ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon baking soda ¼ cup butter, room temperature 1 tablespoon milk 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon peel 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Mix flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda in a medium-sized bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Add milk, lemon peel, and vanilla; stir with a fork until evenly moistened. (Or use a food processor to process flour, sugar, salt and baking soda about 10 seconds until blended. Add butter; process until mixture resembles corn meal. Add remaining ingredients and process until evenly moistened.)
Gather dough and press into a ball. Shape into a 7 x 2 x 1-inch rectangle. Wrap and refrigerate at least one hour or until very firm. Cut dough into 1/8th-inch slices and place ½-inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake 7 to 9 minutes until very lightly browned. Remove to wire rack to cool.
Deep-Dish Brownies
¾ cup butter, melted 1 ½ cups granulated sugar 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla 3 eggs ¾ cup flour ½ cup cocoa ½ teaspoon salt ½ cup walnuts
Blend the butter, sugar, and vanilla. Add eggs and beat well. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add to egg mixture until well blended. Add nuts.
Bake at 350° F in an 8-inch greased pan.
Peg's Note: Real chewy. Barbara LaBroad Leek
There's nothing better than a good friend, except a good friend with chocolate.” — *Linda Grayson**
Devil-Dogs
Mix and sift: 2 cups flour ½ cup cocoa ½ teaspoon salt 1 cup granulated sugar 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon baking powder
Add: 1 cup shortening 1 egg 1 cup milk 1 teaspoon vanilla
Mix all well. Drop by bounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake until cakes spring back to the touch, approximately 7 minutes.
Filling ⅓ cup evaporated milk ⅓ cup Crisco ½ cup granulated sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla
Beat in a bowl until filling looks like marshmallow; sugar granules will all be dissolved. Spread filling on one cookie, then top with another.
Peg's Note: Mixing takes quite awhile with electric mixer – too long to do by hand.
Fudgey Brownies
6 tablespoons butter 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped ¾ cup sugar 2 large eggs 1 tablespoon vanilla ½ teaspoon instant espresso powder 1 tablespoon hot water ⅓ cup flour 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder ¼ teaspoon salt
In a large glass bowl, melt butter and chocolate in a microwave oven on high 1 to 1 ½ minutes; whisk until smooth. Whisk in sugar, eggs, vanilla, and espresso powder dissolved in the hot water.
In a small bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder and salt. Stir into chocolate mixtures until combined.
Pour batter into prepared pan and bake at 350° F for 28 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
Gingersnaps
1 cup molasses ½ cup butter 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 tablespoon boiling water 2 ½ cups flour ½ teaspoon ginger ½ teaspoon cinnamon Sugar for sprinkling
Bring molasses and butter to a boil. Cool. Mix baking soda and boiling water together and then add to molasses mix and stir. Sift 2 cups flour with salt and spices into a bowl. Add molasses mixture and stir well. Add remaining flour to make easy-to-roll dough. Chill.
Roll dough very thin on lightly floured board. Sprinkle with sugar (optional) and cut with cookie cutters.
Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 375° F for about 5 minutes or until set.
Ginger Cookies
2 cups flour 2 teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon cinnamon ¼ teaspoon ginger ¼ teaspoon cloves 1 cup sugar ¾ cup shortening 1 egg ¼ cup light molasses Sugar
Blend the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. In mixing bowl, add sugar to shortening and cream until light and fluffy. Add the egg and molasses and beat well. Add the dry ingredients and mix well. Chill dough for easier handling.
Shape dough into balls using rounded teaspoon for each cookie. Dip into sugar and place on ungreased cookie sheets, sugar side up.
Bake at 375° F for 10-12 minutes.
Grandma Gibson’s Soft Molasses Drop Cookies
½ cup sugar ½ cup shortening ½ cup molasses 1 egg ½ cup boiling water 1 teaspoon baking soda ¼ teaspoon salt 2 ½ cups flour 1 cup raisins
Mix first 8 ingredients well. Add raisins. Drop by heaping tablespoon on greased cookie sheet.
Bake at 350° F for about 15 minutes.
Peg's Note: For years, I made these cookies with Crisco for shortening and they were good. When I eventually could afford butter, I used that and they were still good. Usually I made half plain and the other half I put in raisins.
Gram LaBroad’s Sour Cream Drop Cookies
4 tablespoon butter 1 cup sugar 1 egg ½ cup sour cream [^1] 1 teaspoon vanilla and/or grated orange or lemon rind 2 1/8 cups flour ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt
Cream the butter and sugar. Beat in egg, sour cream, and vanilla and/or rind. Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt and mix well.
Drop by heaping tablespoon onto a greased cookie sheet.
Bake at 350° F for about 8 minutes.
Peg's Note: Gram used to call these “Monkey Face” cookies – she would make a face with raisins.
[1] I always use regular milk with a little vinegar added to make it sour; about 2 teaspoons vinegar to ½ cup milk. Commercial sour cream makes these too dry.
Lemon Bars
1 ¾ cups flour 1 ½ cups confectioner’s sugar 1 cup melted butter 4 tablespoons lemon juice Pinch of salt 4 eggs 1 ½ cups granulated sugar 4 tablespoons flour Rind of one lemon
Mix together flour, confectioner’s sugar and butter. Put in 9”x13” pan and pat down.
Bake at 350° F for 20-25 minutes.Beat eggs, fold in granulated sugar, and add flour, lemon juice, rind, and salt.
Pour over baked crust and bake for 20-25 minutes longer.
Cool in pan.Sprinkle with light dusting of confectioner’s sugar.
Andra's Note: Very sweet and delicious! Recipe came from Mom (Gwen)
Gwen and Andra Ferguson
Lemon Snowball Cookies
1 cup butter ⅓ cup sugar ½ teaspoon vanilla ½ teaspoon lemon extract 2 cups flour
Coating: Mix 1 cup powdered sugar with½ teaspoon lemonade unsweetened drink mix powder
Cream butter, sugar, vanilla and lemon extract until smooth. Add flour and mix until a soft dough forms.
Roll into 1” balls and bake 1” apart on ungreased cookie sheet at 350° F for 15 to 18 minutes (they will not brown on top).
While cookies are warm, toss them in the lemonade powdered sugar mixture and place on a wire rack to cool.
Lemon Snowflake Cookies
¾ cup butter, softened ½ cup confectioners’ sugar 1 tablespoon grated lemon rind 1 cup sifted flour ½ cup cornstarch Sugar and Sprinkles
Beat butter and confectioners’ sugar in a medium bowl. Add rind, Mix flour and cornstarch in a small bowl. Stir into sugar mixture until smooth. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill 1 to 2 hours.
Form dough into a log 11 inches long and 1¾ inches in diameter. Roll in mixture of sugar and sprinkles to coat. Wrap log in wax paper and chill at least 4 hours or overnight. Cut dough into ¼ inch slices. Place slices 1 inch apart on cookie sheet.
Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges are golden. Cool completely. Prepare icing: ½ cup confectioners’ sugar mixed with 2 teaspoons lemon juice.
Use icing to make concentric circles on cookies. Use a toothpick to drag through icing from center of cookie out to edges to form snowflake designs.
Molasses Cookies
Mix and sift: 6 ½ cups flour 1 tablespoon baking soda 1 tablespoon cinnamon 2 ¼ teaspoons ground ginger 2 teaspoons ground cloves 2 cups butter ¾ cup packed brown sugar ¾ cup molasses ¼ cup water 1 ½ teaspoons salt 3 eggs Granulated sugar
Sift flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves into a large bowl. Beat butter in second large bowl until smooth. Beat in brown sugar, molasses, water, and salt; continue beating until light and fluffy.
Beat in eggs, one at a time, and beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mix.Refrigerate dough, covered 24 hours. Roll dough into 2-inch balls; roll each ball in granulated sugar. Place balls 3 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
Bake at 350° F for 15-18 minutes. Cool on wire rack.
Peg's Note: These cookies freeze great. I never could resist eating these for breakfast with my tea.
Oatmeal Big-Chunk Cookies
8 TABLESPOON (1 Stick) butter, room temperature ½ cup packed brown sugar ½ cup granulated sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla ½ teaspoon salt 1 egg ½ teaspoon baking soda 1 TABLESPOON water ¾ cup flour 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats ¾ cup chopped walnuts or pecans 12 ounces (2 cups) coarsely chopped bittersweet chocolate
In a large bowl beat butter, sugars, salt, egg, and vanilla. Add and beat baking soda and water. Stir in flour, oats, walnuts, and chocolate. Refrigerate until firm, about 4 hours or overnight.
Grease cookie sheets. Using 2-3 tablespoons of dough roll into balls. Place only 5 on a cookie sheet at a time.
Bake at 350° F for 10-12 minutes or until cookie springs back when VERY lightly touched. Cool for 2 minutes on pan, 2 minutes on paper towels, and until cold on wire racks.
Oatmeal Refrigerator Cookies
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1 cup granulated sugar 1 cup butter 2 eggs 1 ½ cups all purpose flour ½ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon nutmeg 1 teaspoon vanilla 3 cups quick cooking oats
In a large mixing bowl, cream sugars and butter together until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Sift together flour, salt, baking soda, and spices. Add vanilla and mixt, and then stir in oats. Dough will be stiff. Roll into 2 rolls on waxed paper and roll them up in the paper. Refrigerate overnight or for several days. Slice into thin slices and place on baking sheet.
Bake at 350° F for about 10-12 minutes.
Peg's Note: this is my favorite – an elegant oatmeal cookie.
Orange Milk Chocolate Chunk Cookies
8 tablespoon (1 Stick) butter, room temperature ¼ cup packed brown sugar ½ cup granulated sugar 1 TABLESPOON packed grated orange zest 1 teaspoon vanilla ½ teaspoon salt 1 egg T teaspoon orange flavored liqueur, such as Grand Marnier, Cointreau, or Triple Secup ½ teaspoon baking soda 1 cup flour 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats ¾ cup chopped pecans 12 ounces (2 cups) coarsely chopped milk chocolate bars
In a large mixing bowl beat butter, sugars, zest, vanilla, and salt. Beat in egg, orange liqueur, and baking soda. Stir in flour, pecans, and chocolate. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.
Grease cookie sheets. Using 2-3 tablespoons of dough roll into balls. Place only 5 on a cookie sheet at a time.
Bake at 350° F for about 10-12 minutes until cookies spring back when VERY lightly touched. Do not over bake. Cool 2 minutes on sheets, 2 minutes on paper towels, and until cold on wire racks.
Peanut Butter Big Chunk Cookies
8 tablespoon (1 Stick) butter, room temperature ¾ cup packed brown sugar ¼ cup granulated sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla ¼ teaspoon salt ⅓ cup chunky peanut butter 1 egg ½ teaspoon baking soda 1 cup flour ¾ cup coarsely chopped peanuts 12 ounces (2 cups) coarsely chopped semi-sweet chocolate bars
In a large mixing bowl beat butter, sugars, vanilla, and salt until light and fluffy. Add peanut butter, egg, and baking soda. Stir in flour, then peanuts, and then chocolate. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.
Grease cookie sheets. Using 2-3 tablespoons of dough roll into balls. Place only 5 on a cookie sheet at a time.
Bake at 350° F for about 10-12 minutes until cookies spring back when VERY lightly touched. Do not over bake. Cool 2 minutes on sheets, 2 minutes on paper towels, and until cold on wire racks.
Peanut Butter Cookies I
½ cup flour ¼ teaspoon baking soda ¼ cup butter 1 ½ tablespoons sugar ¼ cup light brown sugar ½ teaspoon vanilla extract 4 tablespoons creamy peanut butter 1 medium egg
Sift the flour and soda in a small bowl. Cream the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla extract, peanut butter, and egg.
Using a fork, gradually work the flour mixture into the creamed ingredients. Drop teaspoonful of dough, one inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes at 350° F until golden brown.
Transfer to wire rack to cool.
Peanut Butter Cookies II
2 ¾ cups flour 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda ¼ teaspoon salt 8 tablespoon butter (1 stick) butter 1 cup granulated sugar 1 cup brown sugar 2 eggs 1 cup peanut butter ½ teaspoon vanilla
Sift flour before measuring; resift with baking soda and salt. Cream the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and beat well. Beat in peanut butter and vanilla. Gradually add dry ingredients until just blended. Refrigerate dough for 2 hours.
Grease cookie sheets. Shape dough into 1-inch balls and place balls 3 inches apart on cookie sheets. Flatten them lightly with a fork. Make crisscross design with fork.
Bake at 375° F for about 10-12 minutes.
Peg's Note: Sometimes I like to put 3 peanut butter chips on each cookie before baking. After removing the cookies from the oven spread the chips across top of cookie like frosting.
Peg’s Chocolate Coconut Cookies
1 square unsweetened chocolate ⅔ cup cocoa 4 tablespoons oil 1 can sweetened condensed milk ¼ teaspoon salt 2 ¼ cup coconut 1 cup pecans, broken into pieces
Melt chocolate with milk, cocoa, and oil. Add other ingredients and stir until combined.
Drop from tablespoon onto buttered cookie sheet. Bake at 350° F for about 10 minutes.
Power Brownies
5 cups walnut halves or large pieces 1 ¼ cups unsweetened cocoa powder 1 ¼ cups flour ½ teaspoon salt 12 ounces (3 sticks) butter 3 cups granulated sugar 7 large eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla
Sift together cocoa, flour, and salt; set aside. In a large saucepan melt butter. Remove from heat and with wooden spoon or spatula stir in sugar, then eggs 2 or 3 at a time. Add vanilla and stir well. Add butter mixture to flour mixture and beat until flour ingredients are well mixed. If using a hand mixer or stand mixer, remove beaters and stir in nuts with a wooden spoon.
Adjust oven rack 1/3 up from bottom. Line a 13 x 9-inch pan with foil. (Shape on upside-down side of pan and then gently press into right side up pan.) Put a tablespoon of butter in pan and melt in oven. Take pan out of oven and brush around on foil.
Bake at 350° F for about 50-60 minutes until toothpick inserted into the middle comes out not quite clean. Cool in pan to room temperature. Turn out onto cookie sheet and take off foil. Cool in refrigerator overnight or a few hours in the freezer. Cut with a long, strong, sharp knife.
Protein Bars
½ cup butter 1 cup chunky peanut butter 12 ounces (2 cups) carob chips 1 cup wheat germ 1 cup shredded coconut 1 cup chopped nuts ½ cup sesame seeds ½ cup sunflower seeds
Melt first 3 ingredients in double boiler. In a large bowl combine remaining ingredients and stir well. Pour melted mixture over dry ingredients and mix well. Pour into a 9 x 13-inch pan and refrigerate until firm. Cut into squares.
Peg's Note: I like to wrap these individually. They keep will in or out of the refrigerator.
The great taste and health benefits from these little jewels far outweigh any calories the might be lurking in them.
Adele Ribik
Shortbread
½ cup butter, softened ¼ cup granulated sugar 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in flour with a fork.
Spread evenly into an ungreased jelly-roll pan (11” x 7”). Ridge into lines, lengthwise using prongs of a fork. Bake at 350° F until pale gold, about 20-25 minutes.
Peg's Note: I make a double batch and bake then on a normal-sized cookie sheet that has sides.
Soft Ginger Cookies
2 ¼ cups flour 2 teaspoons ground ginger 1 teaspoon baking soda ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon ground cloves ¼ teaspoon salt ¾ cup butter 1 cup sugar 1 egg 1 tablespoon water ¼ cup molasses 2 tablespoons sugar
Sift together flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, and then stir in the water and molasses. Gradually stir in the sifted ingredients into the molasses mixture.
Shape dough into walnut-sized balls and roll them in the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar. Place cookies 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet and flatten slightly.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes at 350° F.
Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Snappy Gingersnaps
1 cup molasses ½ cup butter 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 tablespoon boiling water 2 ½ cups flour ½ teaspoon salt 1 ½ teaspoon ground ginger ½ teaspoon cinnamon Sugar for sprinkling
Bring molasses and butter to boil in a saucepan. Cool. Add baking soda mixed with boiling water to molasses mix, stirring well.
Sift 2 cups flour with salt, ginger, and cinnamon into a mixing bowl. Add remaining flour to make an easy to roll dough. Chill.
Roll VERY thin on floured board. Sprinkle with sugar and cut with 2-inch round cookie cutter.
Bake at 375° F for about 5 minutes on ungreased cookie sheets. Cool on wire racks. Recipe makes about 7 dozen cookies.
Snowballs
1 ½ cups butter ¾ cup powdered sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla ½ teaspoon salt 3 cups flour
Beat all ingredients until creamy.
Bake 10-12 minutes at 350° F until cookies are set and lightly brown.
♥ One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating — *Luciano Pavarotti**
Sugar Cookies
1 cup butter 1 cup confectioner’s sugar 1 cup granulated sugar 1 cup oil 2 eggs 4 ⅓ cups flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon cream of tarter ½ teaspoon lemon extract ½ teaspoon orange extract
Cream the butter and sugars. Add oil and mix well. Beat in eggs, one at a time.
Sift dry ingredients together and combine with butter mixture. Add extracts and mix well. Chill dough in refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Roll into 1-inch balls and place about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
Press down with bottom of a glass (dip bottom of glass in sugar between cookies).
Bake at 325° F for about 10 minutes. Recipe makes 6 dozen cookies.
Peg's Note: These are good, light crisp sugar cookies
Chapters: APPETIZERS, BEVERAGES, BREADS & CRACKERS, BREAKFAST DISHES , CAKES, PIES, & COBBLERS, CANDY & POPCORN, COOKIES, BARS, & BROWNIES, FROSTING & ICING, MAIN DISHES, MISCELLANEOUS, MIXES & BLENDS, MUFFINS & SCONES, SALADS, SAUCES & DIPS, SOUPS, STEWS, & CHILIS, VEGETABLES