Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

I have to admit that I do not like these cookies because I do not like peanut butter desserts of any sort. I like peanut butter & apples, peanut butter & bananas and peanut butter & jelly, but no peanut butter desserts. I made these cookies for my brother-in-law and sister-in-law. They were the first peanut butter cookies I had ever made! They said they were good! So if you like peanut butter desserts you will probably like these cookies!

The ones on the left have regular cream filling and the ones on the right have peanut butter cream filling.

Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

1 cup butter-flavored shortening

1 cup cream peanut butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

Filling:

1/2 cup cream peanut butter

3 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

5 to 6 Tablespoons milk

In a large bowl, cream the shortening, peanut butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture and mix well. Shape into 1 inch balls and place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Flatten to 3/8 inch thickness with fork. Bake at 375 degrees for 7-8 minutes or until golden. Remove to wire racks to cool. For filling, in a large bowl, beat the peanut butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and enough milk to achieve spreading consistency. Spread on half of the cookies and top each with another cookie.

*I made my cookies slightly larger so I had to bake mine longer. But I think smaller is better with these cookies because they are so rich! So next time (if there is a next time) I will make them smaller.

*I also did half with peanut butter filling and half with just the powdered sugar, vanilla and milk filling.

This recipe was from Taste of Home Most Requested Recipes

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

Theses cookies are AMAZING! They have a chocolate dough and chocolate chips! But the best part is that they are so so chewy and soft! I hate crisp hard cookies so anytime I say a cookie is good that means its soft and chewy! 

I hope you enjoy these cookies as much as I do!

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups flour

1/3 cup cocoa

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugars together until well blended and very light. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. In a separate bowl, stir dry ingredients. Gradually add dry ingredients to butter mixture. Mix well. Add chocolate chips. Refrigerate dough for 1-2 hours. (if you want perfectly shaped cookies) Drop by rounded tablespoons full (or use a cookie scoop) onto greased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes. (I flip my pan around half way through baking to ensure even baking) Remove from oven and leave on pan for 2 minutes. Then transfer cookies to cooling rack. 

Soft Cake-Like Chocolate Chip Cookies

You know how you sometimes make mistakes when baking? Like you run out of an ingredient? Like you already started making a batch of cookies before you realized you didn't have enough all-purpose flour? Well, that happened to me yesterday. And it was the best mistake I ever made! I have been making the same Soft & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe from Pillsbury for years! They have always been so good! However, they are now better than ever before because of my mishap in the kitchen yesterday. I had the urge to bake chocolate chip cookies yesterday. I usually keep all of the ingredients I would need for this on hand at all times. (like any good baker should) I got the kids helping and we started mixing! We mixed the sugars, butter, vanilla and eggs... then came the flour. I opened my flour canister and knew right away that we did not have 4 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour... I know, it calls for a lot. So I started measuring and we ended up with 3 1/4 cups. I decided to add a cup of self-rising flour in place of the all-purpose flour... ingenious! The cookies puffed up so much more and have more of a cake-like texture to them but are still incredibly soft! Best mistake ever! Here is the new recipe!

Soft Cake-Like Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yield: 5 Dozen

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 1/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar

1 1/2 cups butter or margarine, softened (I recommend unsalted stick butter)

2 teaspoons vanilla

3 eggs

3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup self-rising flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1-2 (12 oz) packages semi-sweet chocolate chips (I added a few white chocolate chips)

In a large bowl, beat sugars and butter until light and fluffy (very important that you get to the "light and fluffy" state. Otherwise they will not rise as well). Add vanilla and eggs; blend well. Add flours, baking soda and salt; mix well. Stir in chocolate chips. Cover and refrigerate dough for at least 3 hours or overnight. (If you do it overnight you may need to remove your dough about 30 minutes prior. The dough will be too stiff for your cookie scoop and it may break your scoop... I know this from experience.) Use a cookie scoop to measure and shape your dough. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes (I bake mine for 5 minutes and then flip the tray around and bake for an additional 5 minutes to ensure they bake evenly.) You want them lightly browned. Let cool on pan for 2 minutes. Remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely... or grab one and dunk it in some cold milk while it is still hot! HEAVENLY! 

Berry Shortbread Dreams

I LOVE these cookies! They are delicious! They are the perfect size and perfect sweetness. The tart raspberry jam and the almond extract in the cookie meld together perfectly! 

These cookies will melt in your mouth!

Sorry, I had already packaged these cookies before I realized that I hadn't taken a picture. Not the best picture.

Berry Shortbread Dreams

1 cup butter, softened

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

2 cups flour

1/3 to 1/2 cup seedless jam

Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

2 to 3 teaspoons water

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the extract; gradually add flour until dough forms a ball. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour or until dough is easy to handle. Roll into 1 inch balls. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets. Using the end of a wooden spoon handle, make an indentation in the center. Fill with jam. Bake at 350 degrees for 14-18 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool. Spoon additional jam into cookies if desired. Combine powdered sugar, extract and enough water to achieve drizzling consistency; drizzle over cookies. Enjoy!

* This recipe is from Taste of Home Most Requested Recipes

Candy Cane Hershey's Kiss Cookies

I kind of came upon this recipe accidentally. I needed to buy some chocolate Hershey's kisses for another recipe. But I had a coupon for $1.10 off 2 and they were on sale so I had to buy 2 bags. I thought I would try the candy cane kisses and I am so glad I did! The recipe is actually on the back of the package and it is amazing! I used green and red sprinkles and nonpareils instead of colored sugar like they recommend but otherwise I followed the recipe. I think you could use any kind of sprinkle you like as long as they aren't too big. These cookies do not only taste good but are also very cute! I just love a cute yummy cookie!

Matias helped me put the kisses in place so sorry if they aren't perfectly centered kisses!

Candy Cane Hershey's Kiss Cookie

1 bag Hershey's Kisses brand Candy Cane Kisses

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 egg

2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

2 tablespoons milk

Red and Green sprinkles or nonpareils

Preheat over to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove wrappers from candies (approx. 35)

Beat butter, sugar, vanilla, and egg in large bowl until well blended. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; add alternatively with milk to butter mixture, beating until well blended.

Shape dough into 1 inch balls. (I measured my dough with a Tablespoon to make sure all of my cookies turned out the same size) Roll in red and/or green sprinkles or nonpareils. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 8 - 1o minutes or until edges are lightly browned and cookies is set. Remove from oven; cool 2 to 3 minutes. Press candy piece into center of each cookie. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. Yields approximately 35 cookies.

Valentine's Day Sugar Cookies

Yet another Valentine's Day goodie! This recipe has been tested multiple times because it has been passed down through 3 generations. I guarantee you they will be the best sugar cookies you have ever eaten! The sour cream keeps them moist and the lemon extract adds a little something special. Hope you enjoy!

Sour Cream Sugar Cookies

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup shortening (regular or butter flavor)

2 eggs, unbeaten

3 Tablespoons sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

3 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Icing:

Powdered sugar

water

food coloring

Gradually add sugar to shortening, creaming until fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add sour cream and flavorings. Stir in flour sifted with baking soda and salt. (I don't sift mine) Mix well. Chill in fridge. (The dough is easier to work with if it has been chilled.) Roll out small amount of dough at a time on a lightly floured surface. (I roll mine out very thick. Maybe 1/8 inch?) Cut with various shaped cookie cutters. Place on a non-greased baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes. (varies depending on your thickness so watch them carefully the first time you make them and adjust the recipe accordingly) Makes about 2-3 dozen thick cookies. I usually make a couple different colors of icing. Divide the powdered sugar into desired number of bowls. Add coloring of choice. Add water until you reach your desired consistency. (And try not to eat too much icing while decorating your cookies. It will make you sick! I know from experience)

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

I love these cookies around the holidays! They are incredibly moist and the nutmeg just adds a little something special! 

Hope you enjoy them!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 cup Butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 egg

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 teaspoon Vanilla

2 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking Powder

1 teaspoon baking Soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, pumpkin and vanilla. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon. Add to pumpkin mixture and blend well. Add chocolate chips. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours. (If you want perfectly shaped cookies) Drop by rounded tablespoons (or use a cookie scoop) on to a well greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees fro 15 minutes. I always flip my pan around half way through the baking time to ensure even baking. Enjoy!

M&M Christmas Cookies

These M&M Christmas Cookies are so yummy! They have M&M's and white chocolate chips. How could they not be good? We loved them! And I loved letting Matias sort the red and green M&M's! I hope your family enjoys them as much as we did!

M&M Christmas Cookies

2 1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup softened butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

4 Egg yolks only

Green and red food coloring

1 bag red and green M&Ms, separated 

2 cup white chocolate chips

Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together.  In a separate bowl, mix butter, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla. On low speed, slowly add flour mixture to wet ingredients until combined. Add egg yolks and combine.

Separate batter in half.

To one half, add green food coloring and mix until well blended. Add red M&Ms and 1 cup white chocolate chips to green batter.

To the other half, add red food coloring and mix until well blended. Add green M&Ms and 1 cup white chocolate chips red batter.

Using a cookie scoop drop dough onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375° for 9-10 minutes. Remove cookies to cooling rack.

Sugar Cookies

This is my Grandma's Sugar Cookies recipe that has been used in my family for years! I have posted this recipe before. Out of all of the cookies I made for Thanksgiving, these are still my favorite! They also freeze really well. So usually when I bake them I freeze half of them for later.

Christmas Sugar Cookies

I love baking and decorating cookies (and so do my kids)! So each week leading up to Christmas we made a different Christmas cookie. The first cookie was my Grandma's Sugar Cookie recipe. Titan got one cookie with icing and just picked off all of the icing while Matias and I finished icing the rest. It was so much fun and I love all of the memories we made! I've posted this cookie recipe before so here is the link to the recipe... Grandma's Sugar Cookies.