Cinnamon Chip Cookies

These cookies are some serious yumminess. They reminded me of a cinnamon roll in cookie form (without the frosting) and they take the normal snickerdoodle cookie to a whole new level with the addition of cinnamon chips. Aren't cinnamon chips a beautiful thing?

Cinnamon Chip Cookies
Adapted from Averie Cooks
Printable Version
Makes 22 cookies
Ingredients
1 egg
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla Greek yogurt or sour cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt (optional)
1 10 ounce bag of cinnamon chips

Directions
In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the egg, butter and sugars beat on medium high speed until well creamed about five minutes. If using a hand mixer beat for at least 7 minutes. Add the yogurt and vanilla and incorporate until fluffy again, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add in the flour, cinnamon, cream of tartar, baking soda and optional salt. Beat until just combined, about 2 minutes. Be careful not to over mix. 
Stir in the cinnamon chips. Place dough in the refrigerator for about 1 hour, until it is hard to the touch. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with a Silpat liner or parchment paper or spray with cooking spray. Roll dough into 1 inch balls and place 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Bake for 8 minutes or until edges have set and tops are just beginning to brown. Allow cookies to cool on a baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing and transferring to a rack to finish cooling. 

M & M Cookies for Memorial Day

I spent the morning of Memorial Day this year making these cookies to take into my husband and his co-workers who were hard at work serving military families at our Naval Hospital. I adapted this recipe from my Betty Crocker cookbook chocolate chip cookie recipe and was really happy with the results. They were really yummy and who doesn't love an M&M cookie? 

This recipe makes about 6 dozen cookies and I was worried I sent in too many, but my husband said that these were demolished in 24 hours. I am so glad that I was able to give back in a small way  on a Holiday that honors the men and women who have sacrificed so much for our country. 

M & M Cookies
From Betty Crocker's Cookbook
Makes 6 dozen cookies
Printable Version
Ingredients 
2/3 cup shortening
2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 large package of M&Ms (I used plain but any variety could be used)

Directions
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix throughly shortening, butter, sugars and vanilla. Stir in remaining ingredients, making sure to gently stir in the M&Ms at the very end.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light brown. Cool slightly before removing from baking sheet. 

White and Milk Chocolate Nestle Toll House Cookies

This recipe may be from the back of the a bag of chocolate chips but I don't care! I am throwing all of my other chocolate chip recipes out the window because I have found my favorite one. These cookies are everything a chocolate chip cookie should be - soft with the right amount of chewiness and fluffiness, a little rich, a little buttery, a little salty with pops of chocolate in every single bite...basically chocolate chip cookie perfection. I made mine with both white chocolate chips and milk chocolate chips just to mix things up a bit.

White and Milk Chocolate Nestle Toll House Cookies
From Allrecipes.com
Printable Version
Makes 5 dozen cookies - so share with your friends!
Ingredients
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I used my homemade vanilla pictured in vodka bottle)
2 large eggs
1 12 ounce package of chocolate chips (I used about half white and half milk chocolate chips)
1 cup chopped nuts, optional (I omitted these)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. Beat butter, both sugars and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl until creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in four mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. 

Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for two minutes then remove to write rack to cool completely. 

Puffy Vanilla Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

Last week I hosted a Valentine's Day cookie exchange at my house. All the ladies brought at least two dozen cookies to sample and share with one another. It was a lot of fun not to mention yummy! I made these Puffy Vanilla Peanut Butter Chip cookies. 

They are made puffy from using Crisco and also chilling the dough.  I love the strong flavor of vanilla that shines through from my homemade vanilla extract. There is also a slight cinnamon flavor in these cookies and of course a pop of peanut butter in every bite. I am a huge fan of these little babies and once you try them you will be too!

Puffy Vanilla Peanut Butter Cookies

From Averie Cooks

Makes 2 dozen cookies (I doubled the recipe)

Printable Version

Ingredients

1/2 cup Crisco (or vegetable shortening)

1/2 cup white sugar

1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

1 large egg

1 tablespoon water

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

pinch of salt, optional

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup peanut butter chips (can also use butterscotch, white chocolate, or chocolate chips)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with Silpat liners, parchment paper, or spray with cooking spray. In a large mixing bowl beat together Crisco, sugars, egg, water and vanilla until batter is creamy. Add in the cinnamon, salt, baking soda and flour and mix until just combined. Fold in the peanut butter chips. Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes. Do not skip this part if you want puffy cookies!

Using a cookie scoop form 1 inch balls (or roll into 1 inch balls) and place about 2 inches apart from one another on cookie sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until barely brown. Remove cookies from the oven when they look slightly under baked and allow cookies to cool and firm up on cookie sheet placed on wire rack for approximately 5 minutes. 

Then remove from cookie sheet and allow to finish cooking on wire rack. Store in an airtight container or freeze for up to 3 months. 

Healthy Breakfast Cookies

These breakfast cookies are extremely easy, quick, and super heathy. No sugar in these "cookies" unless you count the dates. They are moist and filling AND they are very adaptable, so you could substitute or add in  your favorite dried fruit for the dates. Cookies for breakfast? Yes please!

Healthy Breakfast Cookies
From Pinterest
Printable Version
Ingredients
1.5 cups oats
2 or 3 super ripe bananas 
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
Handful of chopped dates (or dried cranberries, apricots, or raisins)
A dash of cinnamon (to taste)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray. Drop by large spoonfuls onto cookie sheet. Bake for 35 minutes and remove to wire rack. Allow to cool and enjoy!

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

I made these yummy White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies to have as a sweet treat the night my Mom and brother arrived in Okinawa. They are a delicious variation on the basic chocolate chip cookie. I love Macadamia Nuts and they are so perfect in this cookie. This recipe makes 60 cookies so be prepared to share or freeze some! 

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

From Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook

Printable Version

Ingredients

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/2 cups flour

1 12 ounce package white chocolate chips

3 1/2 ounces macadamia nuts, chopped

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large mixing bowl beat shortening and butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar, granulated sugar, and baking soda. Beat until mixture is combined, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally. Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much as the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour. Stir in chocolate chips and macadamia nuts. 

Drop by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet. 

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool. 

Lemon Crinkle Cookies

It's starting to look more and more like spring here in Okinawa. The weather is turning warmer, and when it isn't gloomy or raining and the sun is out, it's a beautiful 70 degrees. I love being able to have my windows open in February! Even if you aren't experiencing spring-like weather where you are, these Lemon Crinkle Cookies will help you get into the spring spirit. They are incredibly light with the perfect amount of citrus flavor and a lovely texture - sort of like a lemon cake cookie. I couldn't believe how easy they were to make. I took them over to a friends' house for dinner and before I knew it they had all disappeared! These cookies won a cookie contest and I can see why! They are the perfect spring cookie. 

Lemon Crinkle Cookies
From LDS Living
Makes a little over 2 dozen cookies
Printable Version
Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup powdered sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease light colored baking sheets with non-stick cooking spray. In a large bowl or the base of your stand mixer cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Whip in vanilla, egg, lemon zest, and juice. 

Scrape sides and mix again. Stir in all dry ingredients together slowly until just combined, excluding the powdered sugar. Scrape sides of bowl and mix again briefly. Pour powdered sugar onto a large plate or small bowl. Roll a heaping teaspoon of dough into a bowl and roll in powdered sugar. 

Place on baking sheet 1 1/2 inches apart and repeat with remaining dough. 

Bake for 9-11 minutes or until bottoms begin to barely brown and cookies look matte (not melty or shiny). Remove from oven and cool cookies about 3 minutes on sheet before transferring to a cooling rack. 

Valentine Peanut Butter Blossoms

When I bought a package of Dove Chocolate Heart candies I intended to give them to my hubby for him to put in his candy jar in his office. But then I saw a better use for them - as Valentine's Day Cookies. Aren't they so much cuter than the traditional Hershey Kiss Peanut Butter Blossoms? Make a batch for your Valentine! 

Valentine Peanut Butter Blossoms
From Sweet Saturday
Printable Version
Ingredients 
Heart Shaped Chocolates (I used Dove Milk Chocolate) 
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter 
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 egg
4 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt
Granulated sugar in a small bowl 

Directions
Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Remove wrappers from chocolates. Beat shortening and peanut butter in a large bowl. Add both sugars and beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk, and vanilla and beat well. Stir together flour baking soda and salt; gradually beat into mixture. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Roll in sugar before placing on ungreased cooking sheet. 

Bake 8 - 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press a chocolate heart in the center of each cookie. Remove to a wire rack and allow to cool completely. *Note you may want to place them in the freezer because I had a batch melt completely!*

Fluffernutter Cookies

Raise your hands if you ate fluffernutter sandwiches as a child. Now raise your hands if you eat them as an adult. I am guessing that like me, not so many grown ups whip themselves up a peanut butter and marshmallow fluff sandwich. These cute little cookies are the dessert version of fluffernutter sandwiches. Peanut butter thumbprint cookies filled with marshmallow fluff. They are messy and sticky but so much fun. I made them when we had friends over for dinner last week and someone said, "ooh they taste like toasted marshmallows". Toasted marshmallows on top of peanut butter cookies - yep that pretty much describes these babies. Make them today for a flashback to youth.

Fluffernutter Cookies
From Two Peas & Their Pod
Makes about 2 dozen cookies
Printable Version
Ingredients
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 small jar of marshmallow fluff


Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray two baking sheets with cooking spray (I used tin foil instead) and set aside. In a medium bowl mix the peanut butter and sugars together until creamy and smooth. You can do this by hand. Add in the egg and vanilla extract and mix until throughly combined. Add the salt and baking soda. Spoon the dough into balls, about 1 tablespoon for each cookie. Place the cookie dough balls on the cookie sheets about 2 inches apart. With your thumb press down the to make a puddle in the middle of each cookie. 

Bake for 10 - 12 minutes. Remove from oven and press down the cookies with your thumb again -- cookies will be HOT so do this quickly. Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 2 minutes. Move cookies to a wire rack and cool. Then take a spoonful of marshmallow fluff and fill the center of each cookie. Try to smooth it out as best as you can - it will settle and spread out on the cookie over time. 

Week of Holiday Treats: No Bake Chocolate Cookies

These no bake cookies are the easiest cookies in the world! They don't require an oven and from start to finish only take half an hour. With a blend of chocolate, peanut butter, and oatmeal these cookies are delicious on top of being a cinch to make.


No Bake Chocolate Cookies
From my home church's cookbook
Printable Version
Makes about 2 dozen cookies
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups oats
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
4 tablespoons cocoa
1/2 teaspoon salt (I omitted this since I used butter with salt)

Directions
In a large bowl mix together oatmeal, peanut butter, vanilla, and butter. In a small saucepan boil sugar, milk, cocoa, and salt. Mix the wet and dry ingredients together in the large mixing bowl. 

Drop into cookies on waxed paper and allow to cool for about 20 minutes before eating or storing in an airtight container. 

Week of Holiday Treats: Peppermint Snickerdoodles

Last week I participated in my first holiday cookie swap.  It required that I make six dozen cookies. I've never made so many cookies in my life! I decided to modify my favorite cookie recipe, Snickerdoodles, by rolling them in crushed peppermint. 

The result was a festive and yummy cookie and one that I think I will add to my Holiday baking in the future.

Peppermint Snickerdoodles

Printable Version

Makes 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Six candy canes or peppermint sticks, crushed

Directions

In a stand mixer or medium sized mixing bowl beat the butter with electric mixer on high speed for 30 seconds or until creamed. Add the 1 cup of sugar, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Beat until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally. Beat in the egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in the flour slowly until mixture is throughly combined. Cover and chill the dough for about 1 hour or until easy to handle. Preheat the oven to 375. Combine the 1 tablespoon of sugar, cinnamon, and crushed peppermint in a small bowl. 

Shape the dough into 1 inch balls. Roll each ball in the peppermint mixture to coat. 

Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet. 

Bake for 10 - 11 minutes until the edges of the cookies are golden. Transfer to wire rack and let cool.