Swoon Pies

1 C flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 C graham cracker crumbs
1/2 C butter, softened
1/2 C granulated sugar
1/2 C packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 (8oz) container sour cream
Parchment Paper
Marshmallow Filling - recipe below
1 (12oz) package semisweet chocolate morsels
1 tsp shortening
Toppings: Sea Salt, Chopped roasted salted pecans, Chopped crystallized ginger

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift together flour & next 3 ingredients in medium bowl; stir in graham cracker crumbs.
2. Beat butter & next 2 ingredients at medium speed with stand mixer until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla, beating until blended.
3. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition, stopping to scrape bowl as needed.
4. Drop batter by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto 2 parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 13-15 minutes or until set and bottoms are golden brown. Remove cookies to wire racks and cool completely (about 30 minutes)
5. Turn 12 cookies over, bottom sides up. Spread each with 1 heaping tablespoonful of Marshmallow filling. Top with remaining 12 cookies, bottom sides down, and press gently to spread filling to edges. Freeze on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet 30 minutes or until filling is set.
6. Pour water to depth of 1 inch in a medium saucepan over medium heat; bring to boil. Reduce heat, and simmer; place chocolate and shortening in a medium-size heatproof bowl over simmering water. Cook, stirring occasionally, 5 to 6 minutes or until melted. Remove from heat, and let cool 10 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, remove cookies from freezer, and let stand 10 minutes.
8. Dip half of each cookie sandwich into melted chocolate mixture. Sprinkle with desired toppings and place on parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Freeze 10 minutes or until chocolate is set.
Note: Cookie sandwiches may be covered with plastic wrap and stored in refrigerator for up to 24 hours.

Marshmallow Filling
1/2 C butter, softened
1 C sifted powdered sugar
1 C marshmallow creme
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Beat butter at medium speed with electric mixer until creamy; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add remaining ingredients,beating until well blended.

Full Swoon Pies: Increase semisweet chocolate morsels to 16oz and shortening to 3 tsp. Prepare recipe as directed, dipping cookie sandwiches completely in chocolate mixture. (Use fork to easily remove sandwiches from chocolate.)

Andes Mint Cookies

1/2 cup salted butter, softened

3/4 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

2 2/3 cups flour

1 package (10 oz.) Andes Mint baking chips

Blend butter, sugars, baking soda, baking powder, vanilla, and eggs until mixed. Add flour and mix until a dough forms. Add baking chips and stir into dough. Place dough in refrigerator for a little while (I left it in there for about 15-20 minutes). Form cookies into balls and place on cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Nut Diamonds

The name implies that these are going to be diamond shaped, however because I cut mine wrong they were triangle shaped instead. There's no shame in having nut triangles, so cut them however you like!

Crust:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter softened

3/4 cup sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 tsp. salt

3 cups all purpose flour

Topping:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut up

1 1/3 cups packed light brown sugar

2/3 cup honey

1/2 cup heavy cream

3 cups chopped pecans and cashews

Heat oven to 350. Line a 15 by 10 by 1 inch jelly roll pan with foil, extending over sides.

For crust, in bowl beat butter, sugar, egg, vanilla and salt 2 minutes. Beat in flour. With floured hands, press dough into pan. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes (edges brown slightly)

For topping, in saucepan, melt butter, sugar and honey. then boil 5 minutes without stirring. Remove from heat, stir in cream and nuts. Pour filling over crust. Bake in 350 oven 25 minutes until bubbly. Let cool in pan. Lift from pan using foil. Now somehow you cut them into a diagonal shape, but I don't understand how. It says "cut diagonal line lengthwise from opposite corners through center then cut diagonally across strips at 2 inch intervals above and below first diagonal." Yeah, whatever. Just cut them into triangles and enjoy!

Chocolate Mint Candy Cookies

¾ cup butter
1 ½ cups brown sugar
2 tablespoons water
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 eggs
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 (4.5 ounce) package Andes mints

In a saucepan over medium heat, cook the sugar, butter and water, stirring occasionally until melted. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips until melted.

Pour the chocolate mixture into a large bowl and beat in eggs, one at a time. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into chocolate mixture. Cover and refrigerate dough for at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease cookie sheets. Roll cookie dough into walnut sized balls and place 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets. *

Bake for 8-10 minutes in preheated oven. Be careful not to overbake. When cookies come out of the oven, press one Andes mint into the top of each cookie. Let sit for 1-2 minutes. When the mint is softened, swirl with a toothpick.

Makes approximately 32 cookies.

*I used silicone baking sheets on top of my cookie sheets instead of greasing them. I also used a mini-ice cream scoop to form the balls instead of rolling them with my hands.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup white sugar
½ cup vegetable oil
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 package (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

Combine pumpkin, sugar, oil and egg. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Dissolve the baking soda in the milk and add to the pumpkin mixture. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and combine well. Add vanilla then chocolate chips.

Drop by spoonfuls on a greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 10 minutes or until lightly brown.

Chocolate Chip Tarts (Powdered Sugar Balls)

These are some of my most favorite cookies ever. I got this recipe in college from my awesome roommate, Becky. Thanks, Becky!!!

1 Cup Butter (soft)
3/4 Cup Brown Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla
2 1/2 Cups Flour
3/4 tsp Salt
12 oz. Chocolate Chips
Powdered Sugar

Cream butter, sugar and vanilla. Add flour and salt. Stir in chocolate chips. Roll in balls. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet for 15 minutes.

After they have cooled, roll in powdered sugar.

Melting Moments Cookies

1 Cup Butter
2 Cups Powdered Sugar
1 1/4 Cup Flour
3/4 Cup Cornstarch
3 Tbs. Orange Juice
1/2 tsp. Almond Extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Cream butter & 1/2 cup powdered sugar.
Add in almond flavoring.
Beat in flour and corn starch.
Wrap bowl and chill.
Roll into circles and place on ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake 10 minutes.

Beat remaining powdered sugar (1 1/2 cups) with orange juice until creamy. Pour a dollop of icing on each cookie. For fun, I sometimes used food coloring to make the icing colors to match shower themes, birthday parties, holidays.... be creative!
These cookies are perfect for showers and parties, but mostly they are just plain delicious! Buttery, creamy, yummmmm!

Lemon Coconut Butter Patties

COOKIES

3/4 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg yolk

1 tsp. vanilla

2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups sweetened coconut flakes

1/2 tsp lemon extract

FROSTING

1/4 cup butter

1 tsp. grated lemon peel

1/4 tsp salt

2 cups powdered sugar

4 tsp lemon juice

Cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg, vanilla, and lemon. Blend in flour and coconut. Shape into walnut sized balls. Place on greased cookie sheet and flatten with fork. Bake 350 for 8-15 minutes or until edges are browned. Cool. Beat icing ingredients together and frost cooled cookies.

German Chocolate Cake Cookies

My sister-in-law made these at Christmas and they were wonderful...and so easy!

1 box German chocolate cake mix
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1 package semi-sweet chocolate chips

Blend cake mix, eggs and oil until the batter is moist. Then add the chips, stirring until incorporated. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 13 minutes. As usual, watch cookies closely at the end of the bake time to make sure they don't overbake.

Variation: I made these one time with peanut butter chips instead of chocolate chips for something different and they turned out really tasty.

Molasses Cookies

3/4 cup soft butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 1/4 cup flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
sugar for rolling

Cream sugar and butter. Add egg, molasses, then dry ingredients. Form into 1 inch balls. Roll in sugar, then bake on greased cookie sheet for 12 minutes at 375.

Tip: The dough is very sticky. Stick it in the freezer for about 10 minutes before forming balls to reduce stickiness.

Powdered Sugar Chocolate Chip Cookies

I don't know girls... I am definitely going to have to throw my chocolate chip cookie recipe into the ring. I've got to say, these are the absolute best chocolate chip cookies I have ever had!

I've made these several times, but I specifically remember making them for Nate's baby shower.

(The recipe came from Sammy's grandmother, Doris Rogers.)

2 cups soft butter
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
4 1/2 cups flour
12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugar, beat in vanilla. Stir in flour until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Shape dough into one inch balls. Flatten with a fork like peanut butter cookies. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. While cookies are still warm, sprinkle with powdered sugar.

YUMMY! Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Please, don't ever make the recipe on the back of the bag of chocolate chips ever again. This is the best chocolate chip cookie recipe in the world, and once you try it, you will never use another. I promise.

1 cup shortening
2 1/2 cups flour
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
12 oz. semi sweet chocolate chips
opt. 1/2 cup pecans

Mix wet ingredients first, then add dry. Shape into balls and place on un-greased cookie sheet and bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes. Do not overcook! Yank from oven when slightly brown at edges. They will firm up if you let them sit for a minute on the sheet before removing to wire rack to cool.

Dara's Grandma’s Brown Sugar Cookies

In one bowl combine:
3 Cups of Flour
3 tsp Baking Powder
¾ tsp of Salt

In another bowl combine:
1 ¼ cup Brown Sugar
2 Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla
¾ cup Margarine (Blue Bonnet)
Melt margarine and add sugar, eggs, vanilla

Add dry bowl ingredients to liquid bowl ingredients and alternate with a little milk (2/3 cup)

Repeat until all mixed

Add 1 cup of chopped pecans

Grease a cookie sheet

Bake at 400 degrees for 8 – 10 minutes

I love these cookies! They remind me of my childhood. My mom and grandma both made them a lot! I like the fact that they are soft, chewy, cake-like and not too sweet (just right!)