Christmas Cutout Cookies - There is still time!

As an adult, I've come to prefer those lumpy, bumpy cookies that are filled with all sorts of textures and fruity, chewy tastes. Children, however, seem to be drawn to the shaped sugar cookies and the more icing and decorations, the better. So, when composing a cookie plate for the holidays, one can't leave a favorite like that out.

Christmas Sugar Cookies
1 cup butter, room temperature not melted
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 large egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Tiny pinch of ground nutmeg
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt

Cream the butter, adding the sugar gradually, and continue beating until well-combined and fluffy. Add egg, extracts, and nutmeg. Sift or mix the dry ingredients together and blend into the butter mixture. It should gather into a ball and not be crumbly. If your dough is too dry, try adding small drops of water. Gather into a ball and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper or vegetable oil spray them very lightly.

Take a portion of the dough, roll out on a floured board to a bit more than 1/4-inch thick. Cut with your choice of cookie cutters. Move to the prepared baking sheets, placing them about an inch apart. Bake for about 5 minutes or until golden around the edges and set. Let the cookies set for a few minutes when they exit the oven and then remove to a cooling rack. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Icing
1 cup powdered sugar
food coloring
enough milk to form a spreadable icing.
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

I use a rubber pastry brush to coat each cookie and have a helper there to immediately add whatever colorful sprinkles or sugars your might want on the cookies. Let them dry thoroughly before packing away into a container.

Traditional Seven-Layer Cookies

I've seen many versions of this popular recipe over the years and no matter how you layer it, you can't beat it for a fast, sweet treat for unexpected company or an offering for a last-minute pot luck invite.

Seven-Layer Cookies

1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup graham cracker crumbs*
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup toasted coconut
1/2 cup chocolate chips**
1/2 cup butterscotch chips**
1 - 14-ounce can sweetened, condensed milk
1 cup toasted, chopped nuts***

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line bottom of 9x13x2-inch pan with parchment paper or spray with
vegetable oil spray.

Combine butter, graham cracker crumbs, and vanilla until well mixed. Press into the bottom of prepared pan. Arrange the rest of the ingredients in layers as listed. Bake for approximately 30 minutes.  Let cool a bit, cut into squares, and complete the cooling. Makes about 3 dozen cookies depending on size you cut them.

*If you prefer, think about using cinnamon or chocolate graham crackers.

**These days, you don't have to always go with chocolate and butterscotch chips. Consider peanut butter, white chocolate, chocolate mint . . .

***I prefer using pecans but, depending on your other flavor choices, you might like walnuts, hazelnuts, or almonds. Also, you can always throw in a fourth cup of dried cranberries, chopped dates, or chopped, dried apricots.

Christmas Baking - Butterscotch Apple Cookies

Apples and butterscotch are a good combination in these cookies. If you can find cinnamon candy chips during the holidays, that would be a great taste, too.

Butterscotch Apple Cookies
1 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup or honey
2 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Pinch of ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup toasted and chopped walnuts or pecans
1 cup grated apples (be sure to peel them before grating)
1 cup butterscotch chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment or use vegetable oil spray.

Cream shortening, brown sugar, corn syrup (or honey) and eggs in a bowl and beat thoroughly. Mix in the flour, salt, baking soda, and spices. Mix well. Stir in the vanilla and the rest of the ingredients.

Drop by small spoonful or use cookie scoop of your size choice onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden around the edges and set in the middle. Remove to cool on a wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar and serve.

Jubilee Jumbles Memories . . .

Cold, rainy weather seems to bring on the memories of the past for me. I guess the fact that I spend more time in the house has me looking inward! Anyway, the best way to warm up a house and bring some by gone days back to life is to bake something with nostalgic fragrance. And, since rain is in the forecast, perhaps I'll have a reason to warm up the house this way!

I was looking for a particular recipe,  and was thrilled and surprised to fine another one I had forgotten about but dearly loved as a child. They were relatively simple, plain cookies but they always disappear first from the Christmas cookie platter.

Jubilee Jumbles (from Betty Crocker's New Picture Cookbook, 1961)

1/2 cup soft shortening
1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix shortening, sugar, and eggs thoroughly. Stir in sour cream and vanilla. Blend flour, soda, and salt: stir in. Mix in the chopped nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoonful of dough about 2" apart onto a greased baking sheet. Vegetable oil spray works great. Bake about 10 minutes our until cookie is firm to the touch and lightly golden. Spread cooked cookies with Browned Butter Glaze. Makes about 4 dozen 2 1/2" cookies.

Browned Butter Glaze

Melt /12 cup butter until golden brown. Blend in 2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Stir in 2-4 tablespoons hot water until icing spreads smoothly. Before the icing hardens, you can to the cookies with tiny, chocolate chips, more chopped nuts, a whole almond, sugar sprinkles, etc.

You can substitute the nuts in the cookie recipe for chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, raisins, chopped dates, coconut, or add cinnamon, ginger, and cloves to the original recipe for a spicer cookie.

Pumpkin-Orange Spice Softies

I noted that pumpkins have appeared in the grocery stores. That is a sure indication that no matter how warm the sunshine is right now, Fall produce is coming into play. Although I make recipes with pumpkin throughout the year, there is something about having a good pumpkin cookie when the season is right. I love a crisp/chewy cookie but make an exception for this soft, cake-like version. They are even a nice break for a fast breakfast treat in the morning with a cup of coffee or tea.

Pumpkin-Orange Spice Softies

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
½ cup butter (1 stick), softened
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon orange extract
1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Mix together the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.

Combine sugar and butter in another mixer bowl and beat until fluffy. Add in pumpkin, egg, extracts, and zest. Mix to just combine. Beat in flour mixture until combined but not over mixed. Stir in the nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto prepared baking sheets. A cookie scoop comes in handy here!

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes our until golden around the edges and slightly firm to the touch. Cool on baking sheets before removing to wire racks to finish cooling. Glaze cookies when completely cool.

Glaze/Icing: Combine 2 cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon of finely grated orange zest, 1 teaspoon orange extract, and enough freshly-squeezed orange juice to form a glaze. Using a rubber pastry brush, brush the top of each cookie and let set.

Hazelnut Chocolate Cookies - Two Ways!

We eat gluten-free so when I see I recipe that appeals to me, I have to study it a bit to see if I can turn it into a gluten-free version. Success today! This is the recipe in it's original 'format':

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/chocolate-hazelnut-cookies-recipe

In order to make it edible for my gluten-free husband, I had to omit the flour and substitute. I took a leap of faith in myself and used the recipe, as is (except for the wheat flour) and added a couple teaspoons of xanthan gum powder to the mix and used the gluten-free flour mix from Nuts.com. I've tried many brands and this has become my go-to flour for baking these days.

The cookies didn't turn out as thick as shown in the picture on the link but they are thin and chewy . . . which is what I like in a cookie. The mixture of hazelnut spread, unsweetened cocoa powder, and some powdered espresso provided a very tasty cookie.

So, you see, this is a 'two-way' cookie! If you are avoiding wheat products, it is possible with this recipe. If gluten-intolerance isn't a problem for you, just follow the recipe as stated.

Definitely a Summer Cookie!

http://www.cookieclubrecipes.com/cookies/nobake/no-bake-cookies1.htm

No oven. Not too much fuss. Tastes good! My kind of cookie on a hot day when you need to provide a treat for family/friends.

Gluten-Free and Suffering? You think? :-)

When I mentioned to a friend that we were trying a gluten-free menu, her first explanation was, "You are going to starve!"

As I try to type and munch on a warm oatmeal cookie from the oven, I don't feel deprived of anything! It seems that eating gluten-free has exploded on the scene and just about any 'normal' recipe you have enjoyed, can now be worked into a gluten-free format. No, bread will never be exactly like the wheat version but we are finding a lot of bread recipes that actually appeal to us more. The challenge adds a lot to my interest in baking and no one around here has lost any weight over the gluten-free lifestyle. When we decided to try going gluten-free, my husband started rattling off the favorite Christmas cookies he looks forward to each year and wanted to know if I could still make them. So far, I have either adjusted recipes or found gluten-free versions - some of which we have liked even better.

Today, I tried a gluten-free version of oatmeal raisin cookies. As you can see from the pictures, they worked out very well. Since the first batch is almost gone, I'd venture I could pronounce them a success. The recipe can be found here: http://glutenfreeonashoestring.com/thick-chewy-oatmeal-chocolate-chip-cookies/ The only changes I made to the recipe was omitting the chocolate chips and adding some freshly-grated lemon zest and two tablespoons of chia seeds for some added fiber.

I have a small collection of gluten-free cooking/baking books on hand now and have found recipe keepers in each of them, however, my favorite author has to be Nicole Hunn. She has written two cookbooks to date : Gluten-Free on a Shoestring and Gluten-free on a Shoestring - Quick & Easy. I like her books as she does, indeed, simplify gluten-free recipes with basics. If you follow her advice, you will actually save money rather then feel like you are putting out more money to do this. She also has a Blog that I highly recommend as there are even more recipes listed there.

A sideline to our adventure into gluten-free eating is that less than a month into it, my husband realized that he does have a mild case of celiac. Once we got the gluten out of the house and his system, he had been able to put aside all the digestive medications he has been taking for years. It was by mere accident that I picked up a book on being gluten-free. It was amazing that my husband said to go ahead and see how it goes. Looks like God sent the message and, for once, we listened!

Ciinnamon-Oatmeal-Banana Cookies

Oatmeal cookies are a favorite of mine. Yes, I've already found a recipe to make them gluten-free for my husband. This recipe, however, is not gluten-free so everyone with a bag of flour in their cupboard, this one is for you. I plan to make them for Christmas if not sooner . . . much sooner! I may even experiment and see if I can come up with a reasonable replica gluten-free.

Cinnamon-Oatmeal-Banana Cookies
1 cup softened butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 cup pureed bananas
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Dash of cloves
2 cups quick-cooking oatmeal
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup toasted and chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Cream butter, sugar, brown sugar, and eggs in a large mixing bowl, mixing well.
Add bananas, vanilla, spices, oats, flour and baking powder. Beat in to
incorporate. Stir in the walnuts.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls of dough onto prepared baking sheets about an inch
apart to all room for spreading. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until set and golden
around the edges.

For an extra punch, you can drizzle with lemon icing or dust with powdered
sugar.

Lemon Cookies, Iced Tea, and Summer Time!

A fast recipe to avoid heating up the house this summer. Goes great with a glass of iced tea.

 

 

Lemon Cookies

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon extract
Freshly-grated lemon zest
2 cups all purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter, sugar, lemon juice, extract, and zest in a mixing bowl. Slowly stir in the four. Drop teaspoonfuls of dough (or use a cookie scoop) onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Remember, a lemon drizzle of glaze is not over the top!

Walnut Cookies

Although this recipe is not gluten-free, my brain is already thinking about how to turn it into a gluten-free recipe one of these days. Fortunately, we aren't celiac and don't have to worry unduly over wheat but a recipe challenge remains a part of my future!

Walnut Cookies
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup finely chopped walnuts.

If you have time and are thinking ahead, before you chop the walnuts, toast them in a 350 degree oven until just fragrant, cool, and then chop. It really add a nice dimension to the cookie.

Preheat over to 300 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Cream the butter until it is light and fluffy. Add 1/4 cup of the sugar and continue to beat until well combined. Stir in the flour, vanilla, zest, cinnamon, and walnuts.

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets about an inch apart to allow for spreading. Flatten slightly and bake for approximately 20 minutes or until golden. Transfer baked cookies to a wire rack set over another baking sheet and sprinkle with remaining sugar and let cool.

Vanilla Buttermilk Cookies

These are great for snacking or slipping into the school/work lunchbox. They are
simple yet tasty and mix up quickly. An easy recipe for a new baker in the
kitchen!

Vanilla Buttermilk Cookies
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
4 tablespoons very cold butter
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Mix together the dry ingredients. If you are using a mixer, combine the flour
and butter until the mixture is grainy not smooth. Combine the vanilla and
buttermilk. Add the buttermilk mixture gradually, stirring it until it comes
together into a soft dough.

Roll out the dough to about 1/2-inch thick. Cut into round circles with your
choice of a cookie cutter size. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets about an
inch apart. Bake for approximately 10-12 minutes depending on the size of your
cookie and the oven. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

A drizzle of lemon icing wouldn't go amiss if you are feeling extra festive!

Adding Spice to the Season - Ginger Cookies!

A favorite scent in the holiday air is baking ginger cookies. Although most ginger cookies are pretty tasty, I like taking them up a level in heat and flavor. I finished my Christmas baking but forgot to include this important aspect to what I consider a complete offering of Christmas Cookies.

Ginger Cookies

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
4  teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups solid shortening
2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup finely chopped candied ginger
1/2 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or use vegetable oil spray.

Combine the flour, spices, salt, baking soda, and black pepper in a bow. Set aside for now.

In a mixing bowl, beat the shortening and sugar until well-combined. Beat in the molasses and eggs. Work in the dry ingredients and chopped ginger and orange zest.

Shape dough into balls the approximate size of walnuts. Roll the dough balls in coarse sugar or colored sugar. They will spread so place about 2-inches apart on prepared baking sheets.

Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until the cookies are pale brown and puffed. Cool on baking sheet a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to complete cooling process. Makes two to three dozen cookies depending on the size you make them.

Baking and Memories . . .

 I was telling my husband about a cookie my mother and I used to make at Christmas time. It wasn't a particularly pretty cookie but the various ways to make it as well as the browned butter icing has people reaching for them more often than the fancier ones. I couldn't find my worn recipe paper on this so took my chances with a Google search and was surprised to find many variations of basically the same sort of cookie . . . but not quite. I looked over the versions I found and finally pieced together how I remembered them being made . . . and made them today!

Jubilee Jumbles
1/2 cup solid shortening
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup evaporated milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup toasted and finely ground walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Cream the shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs and beat to combine. Add the evaporated milk and vanilla extract. Thoroughly mix in the dry ingredients and the walnuts. The dough should be soft but will hold it's shape.

Scoop out generous teaspoonfuls of the dough and place about an inch to an inch and a half apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for approximately 10-12 minutes or until barely golden and set.

Browned Butter Icing
1 stick butter
1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Very carefully cook the butter in a small pot until it just starts to brown and immediately remove it from the heat. Stir in the powdered sugar and vanilla until you get a thick glaze you can brush on your cooled cookies. You can decorate the tops with colorful sprinkles, bits of  candy, ground nuts, etc.

Suggestions:
Don't care for walnuts? You can stir in 1/2 cup chopped raisins.
Want to go tropical? Add 1 cup toasted coconut and 1/2 cup dried pineapple, diced.
Want variety? Add 1/2 cup chopped nuts and 1/2 cup tiny chocolate chips.

Linzer Torte Cookies!

 I went into my German heritage for baking my first batch of Christmas cookies today. One of my favorite combinations is almond and raspberry and that is the popular duo of the Linzer Torte Cookie.

After years of making sandwich-type cookies, I finally figured out how to make the tops and bottoms of the sandwich come out evenly - I cut the dough in half and weighed them to make sure they were even. I also second-guessed myself by keeping track of how many of each were made. I'm losing my haphazard bad habits in my old age!

The recipe was simple but the taste is outstanding - in my humble opinion!

Linzer Torte Cookies
1 1/2 cups butter
2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
3 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups toasted and finely ground almonds
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Filling:
Seedless Raspberry jam

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the baking sheets with parchment paper.

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla extract. Add the flour, almonds, and spices. Mix the dough as much as you can with a spoon or knead to gather it together by hand.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough about 1/4th inch thick. Cut circles with one half of the dough and then cut out a small, decorative star, triangle, etc. out of the middle of the other half (the top of your 'sandwich').

Bake on your prepared baking sheets for approximately 10-12 minutes or until firm and golden around the edges. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

To sandwich your cookies, spread on a thin layer of jam on the bottom half and then gently press the top cookie into place. You want a bit of the jam to press into the opening but not too much.

To put a finishing touch on your cookies, you can either dust them with powdered sugar or drizzle them with lemon icing. Makes about 60 cookies depending on the size of your cookie cutter.

Coffee Thins Cookies

Although I don't often drink coffee, I love the flavor of coffee in most any way I can find it. When I found this recipe, it immediately appealed to me and I now have the cookie dough getting cold and ready for slicing and baking in my refrigerator. I mentioned this particular cookie in a previous post and got a request for the recipe. Thought there might be others interested in trying it, too.

Coffee Thins

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
Pinch of cinnamon
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup packed, dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon instant coffee or espresso powder, dissolved in 2 teaspoons coffee-flavored liqueur
2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest

Combine flour, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl. In a large bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar until well blended; stir in the dissolved coffee. Add the flour mixture; mix well until the dough is blended and begins to clump together.

Form the dough into a squared-off log 7 inches long, wrap in saran or waxed paper and refrigerate for three hours or until quite firm.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut into 1/4-inch slices; set them one inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until the tops look dry and edges are slightly browned, about 10-12 minutes. Finish cooling on wire rack. (From Fine Cooking Magazine Holiday Issue 2012)

Advent Cookies

A fun way to look forward to Christmas is to have a cookie baking day with the children! What better way to do this than to have cut out cookies but only use star cookie cutters as we look for and wait for the Star of Bethlehem to make it's appearance. This is a very simple recipe. When the cookies are baked and cooled, decorate them with sugar the color of Advent (purples) with a few cookies with golden sugar to show what is to come. It's a great way to give the children some time in the kitchen with you and help with the excited anticipation of the holiday with a hands-on project and the Christmas story, too!

Advent Sugar Cookies
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup (2 sticks) softened butter
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
11/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Preheat oven to 357 degrees and line your baking sheets with parchment paper or use vegetable oil spray. Mix together the dry ingredient and set aside. In a mixing bowl, whip together the butter and sugar until fluffy and blended. Add the egg and extracts. Stir in the flour mixture. The dough should be manageable. If not, add bits of flour as necessary.

Roll half the dough out on a lightly-floured board, about 1/4 inch thick. You can go thicker if you are working with little ones to avoid breakage. Using your star cookie cutter, cut them out as close as possible to avoid too much re-rolling of the dough. Place about an inch apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake for approximately 8-12 minutes depending on how thick you cut the cookies. Let rest a few minutes on the baking sheet once they exit the oven. Remove to a rack to complete cooling.

Basic White Icing
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon corn syrup
Enough milk to form a spreadable icing
Gold and purple sugar or decorations.

To avoid excessive clean up, tape sheets of waxed paper down on the table for the decorating. When you are done, just carefully roll up the waxed paper and you should have an easier clean up.

Rich Toffee Bars

The combination of chocolate and toffee is always a winner. When I was little, a friend would bring over some amazing treats that used these two flavors. This recipe sort of replicates that happy time for me and it makes the house smell amazing as they bake. They won't last long so don't worry about storing them!

Rich Toffee Bars
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup toasted and finely chopped almonds

Line a jelly roll pan (15 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 1- inches) with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Cream the butter, shortening, brown sugar, and egg yolk together. Add the vanilla, salt, and flour. Spread the dough into the prepared pan. If it is sticky, try spraying your hands with vegetable oil spray! Bake for approximately 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

After the cookies exit the oven, scatter the chocolate chips  over the surface. Wait a minute or so until they melt and then spread it over the surface of the cookies evenly. Sprinkle with the almonds. Before it is entirely cool, cut into squares, and then let it finish cooling.

Fast Kitchen Creations - No-Bake Cookies

When the oven is occupied with dinner but you still want to provide a sweet treat to end a family dinner, this might do the trick. And, you can be creative because there is no law that say you have to use butterscotch chips. In fact, I'm currently leaning towards chocolate chips to get a peanut butter cup taste going with the extra crunch.

1 1/2 cup butterscotch pieces (our your choice!)
1/2 cup peanut butter
6 cups flake cereal or even crisped rice cereal

In a large pot, melt the butterscotch pieces and peanut butter together stirring constantly to prevent burning. Remove from the heat and stir in the flake cereal of your choice. Mix well. Drop by spoonfuls onto sheets of waxed paper and let set.

Just thought about trying this recipe with chocolate chips and a raisin bran cereal. Sounds like it would taste like a fruit-nut chocolate bar!

Raisin-Cranberry Nut Cookies

As always, simple cookies get the cookie jar filled in short order and makes one a much-loved mother. And, if you  sneak in some raisins and nuts, you can almost feel healthy.

Raisin-Cranberry Nut Cookies
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1 1/2 cups shortening
1/2 cup walnuts
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon orange extract
1 tablespoon of freshly grated orange zest
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup milk

Run the raisins, cranberries, and walnuts through the food processor briefly to coarsely chop them up a bit.

Place the shortening and sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat until well-combined and fluffy. Add the eggs, extracts, and zest. Beat well.

Mix together the dry ingredients. Add to the shortening/sugar combination along with the milk. Mix well. Chill the dough until easy to roll out and handle.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or use vegetable oil spray.

Divide the dough up into thirds or fourths for easy rolling. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough out to about 1/4-inch thick. With a large, round cookie cutter (or your choice of shape!) cut out the cookies and place them about one-inch apart on prepared baking sheets.

Bake for approximately 8-10 minutes until lightly golden brown. Place on wire racks to cool.

Orange Glaze
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Enough fresh orange juice to form a glaze

When the cookies are cooled, you can either brush on a coating of glaze or drizzle it over them.