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Tag Archives: cookies


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Gooey Chocolate Cookies

Making Christmas cookies has become a tradition of mine. This year, I opted to make an entirely new set of cookies. Ever single recipe used was something new. A lucky few got packages of cookies, and my sister has been insisting that I post the recipe for the gooey chocolate cookies ASAP.

These cookies were delicious. The best part? They were so easy to make!

Gooey Chocolate Cookies
adapted from foodtv.com

1 8-oz block of cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick butter, room temperature
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 18-oz box Pillsbury Moist Supreme Dark Chocolate cake mix (or any other moist cake mix)
confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream the cream cheese until smooth. Beat in butter until creamy.
  3. Beat in egg and vanilla extract until incorporated.
  4. Beat in cake mix.
  5. Cover and refrigerate dough for 2 hours or overnight to firm up. Using a medium cookie scoop, form uniform balls.
  6. Roll the balls in confectioners’ sugar.
  7. Place balls 2 inches apart on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet.
  8. Bake 12 minutes. The cookies will remain soft and gooey and appear under-done.
  9. Cool completely and sprinkle with more confectioners’ sugar if desired.


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Granola Bars

Granola bars are one of my favorite things to snack on. It’s perfect when I need something to hold me over from lunch to dinner. While it may be convenient to just buy a box (or two) from the grocery store, making them at home allows you to customize the bars to your tastes! I added coconut, walnuts and milk chocolate chips to the fruit and nut “base”, but you could add in an endless number of ingredients!

Granola Bars

Granola Bars

2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
6 ounces dried fruit
1/4 cup coconut
1/3 cup milk chocolate chips
1/3 cup walnuts

  1. Preheat oven t 350°F. Butter a 9×9 baking dish and set aside.
  2. Mix oats, sunflower seeds, almonds, and walnuts together and spread onto a half sheet pan. Bake for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  3. Meanwhile, combine the honey, brown sugar, butter, vanilla extract and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat until the brown sugar is dissolved.
  4. When the oat and nut mixture is done, remove from oven and turn the oven down to 300°F.
  5. Stir the oat and nut combination into the liquid mixture. Add in coconut, dried fruit, and chocolate chips. Stir quickly and spread into prepared 9×9 baking dish. Press down mixture firmly and distribute the mixture evenly.
  6. Bake for 25 minutes.
  7. Remove from oven, let cool completely, and then cut into bars.


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Chocolate Mint Cookies

I have yet to find a person that dislikes these cookies. I’m not a huge fan of chocolate, but I love these!! I have the ingredients to make these cookies on hand at all times, because you never know when you’re going to need it!

mint chocolate dough

Chocolate Mint Cookies
adapted from allrecipes.com
yields 3.5 dozen cookies

6 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon water
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 egg
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 (4.5 ounce) packages Andes mints

chocolate mint cookies

  1. Heat the butter, sugar and water in a small pot over medium heat; stir occasionally until melted. Remove from heat and pour in the chocolate chips. Stir until melted. Set the mixture aside to cool for 10 minutes.
  2. Pour the chocolate into a mixing bowl and beat in the egg. Mix the flour, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl and then stir into the chocolate mixture. Put the dough into the fridge for 1 hour to chill.
  3. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease the cookie sheets.
  4. Roll the dough into 1-inch sized balls and place on the cookie sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake for 8 – 10 minutes, being careful not to overbake!
  5. When cookies come out, place 1 (or half) of an Andes mint on the top of each cookie. Let it melt slightly and then use the back of a teaspoon to swirl the Andes mint around to cover the top of the cookie. Let cool completely on wire racks.


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Raspberry Almond Shortbread Cookies

I find myself making a lot of cookies filled with preserves – usually raspberry. I have jars and jars of preserves at home and my fridge looks strange without a jar in it. Here’s yet another recipe that is filled with raspberry preserves. Trust me, they’re just as good as the other preserve-filled cookies.

raspberry almond shortbread cookies

Raspberry Almond Shortbread Cookies
makes 3 dozen cookies

1 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup seedless raspberry preserves (or blackberry or whatever preserves you love!)
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
3/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon milk

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  2. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and white sugar until smooth. Mix in the 1/2 tsp. almond extract. Mix in the flour until the dough comes together. Roll dough into 1 1/2 inch balls and place on ungreased cokie sheets. Using your thumb, make a small indent in the center of each ball and fill with preserves.
  3. Bake for 14 – 18 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let cook for 1 minute on the cookie sheet.
  4. In a medium bowl, mix together the confectioners’ sugar, 3/4 tsp. almond extract and milk until smooth. Drizzle lightly over the warm cookies. I placed this into a pastry bag with my smallest tip and used that to drizzle the icing onto the cookies; a plastic sandwich bag or Ziploc bag with a tiny hole cut in the corner works as well.

recipe from allrecipes.com


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Chocolate Freckles

chocolate freckles

Chocolate Freckles
yield varies depending on cookie cutter size

1 stick of unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/3 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup cocoa powder
7 ounces dark chocolate, melted
Nonpareil sprinkles

  1. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder together into a medium-sized bowl.
  2. Beat the butter, sugar and egg in a bowl with an electric mixer until combined. Stir in the sifted dry ingredients, one half at a time.
  3. Knead the dough on a floured surface until smooth – it shouldn’t take very long. Roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper until 1/4 inch thick. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  4. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  5. Using a round cookie cutter (I used a 1 1/2 inch biscuit cutter), cut out as many cookies as you can. Take the leftovers from each round of cutting and knead, roll, and refrigerate to get more cookies. Do this until you can’t possibly get any more cookies!
  6. Bake for about 11 minutes and then cool on a wire rack.
  7. Melt the dark chocolate in the microwave. Microwave in 15 second bursts, stirring after each time until the chocolate is melted.
  8. Spread the chocolate over the cookies and sprinkle the nonpareils on top!


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Raspberry Tartlets

I normally double (or triple) this recipe because everyone loves these! Another plus – they’re super easy to make! Feel free to try other preserves, too. I’ve used blackberry and strawberry before, but raspberry remains my favorite.

raspberry tartles

Raspberry Tartlets
yields 3 dozen

3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup butter
1 egg, well beaten
1 tablespoon milk
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
Raspberry preserves, preferably with seeds!

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
  3. Add the egg, flour, milk, and vanilla to the butter and sugar mixture and mix until incorporated.
  4. Line mini-muffin cups with cupcake liners. You can choose not to use the liners, but they are a lot easier to remove this way!
  5. Add about a tablespoon of batter to each mini-muffin cup. Make a cavity with your finger and fill with raspberry jam (a 1/2 or 1/4 tsp works well).
  6. Bake 20 – 25 minutes or until lightly browned.


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Peanut Butter Blossoms

These cookies are great because the ingredients are common and couldn’t be easier to find. Chances are, you already have them in your kitchen!

peanut butter blossoms

Peanut Butter Blossoms
yields 4 dozen cookies

1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Extra granulated sugar
48 Hershey’s Kisses (milk chocolate), unwrapped

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F
  2. Mix the shortening and peanut butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until blended.
  3. Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
  4. Add the egg, milk and vanilla and mix will.
  5. Gradually stir in the flour, baking soda and salt to the peanut butter mixture.
  6. Shape the dough into 1 inch balls. Roll them in granulated sugar and place them 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
  7. Bake for about 9 minutes or until lightly browned. Once out of the oven, immediately press a chocolate into the center of the cookie. The cookie will crack on the edges.
  8. Allow cookies to cool on a wire rack.


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Lemon Raspberry Swirls

These cookies were time-consuming, but well-worth it!

lemon raspberry swirl

Lemon Raspberry Swirls

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon fresh grated lemon peel
1/3 cup seedless red raspberry spread

For the icing (optional)
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

  1. Beat the butter for 30 seconds with an electric mixer on medium-high speed.
  2. Add the sugar, baking powder, and salt and beat until combined, scraping the bowl occasionally.
  3. Beat in the egg, milk, almond extract and vanilla.
  4. Beat in the flour and 1 1/2 tsp. of the lemon peel.
  5. Cover and chill the dough for 2 hours.
  6. Place the raspberry spread into a small bowl and stir and mash until it breaks up and becomes smooth. Set aside.
  7. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to a 12 x 10 inch rectangle. Spread the raspberry spread on the dough to the end of both the short edges and one of the long edges. Leave a 1 inch gap of plain dough on one of the long edges.
  8. Roll the dough, starting at the long side that has the raspberry spread on it. Pinch the ends to seal
  9. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour, turning the dough every 15 minutes.
  10. While waiting for the dough to chill, preheat the oven to 375°F.
  11. Slice the dough into 1/2 inch thick slices and place an inch apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  12. Bake for about 14 minutes or until the edges are set and the bottom is slightly browned. Cool on cookie sheets for a minute and then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
  13. For the icing, combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice and remaining lemon peel. Add enough water to get a drizzling consistency. Drizzle over the cookies and then sprinkle with almonds.


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Blackberry Lemon Dainties

I love, love, love these cookies! This recipe requires lemon curd. You can buy it at the store, but I strongly suggest that you make it. I bought it once at the store and decided to make it the second time I needed it. I will never, ever go back to store bought! I’ve included the recipe for it at the end of this post. Trust me, you won’t regret it!

blackberry lemon dainties

Blackberry Lemon Dainties
yields about 16 cookies

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all purpose flour
Extra granulated sugar
1/3 cup blackberry jam
3 tablespoons lemon curd

  1. In a large bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer for 30 seconds.
  2. Add the 1/4 cup granulated sugar and salt. Beat until well combined, occasionally scraping the sides of the bowl.
  3. Beat in the lemon peel and vanilla.
  4. Beat in the flour, a half cup at a time. If your mixer starts to strain, turn it off and do this by hand!
  5. Wrap the dough and chill it for an hour.
  6. Preheat the oven to 400°F while the dough is chilling.
  7. Shape the dough into 1 inch balls (you will need an even number of them). Place them 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Use the bottom of a glass dipped in the extra granulated sugar to press the cookie into a 1/4 inch thick circle. Use a glass with a patterned bottom for a cookie with a design!
  8. Bake the cookies for 11 minutes or until the edges or just browned. Transfer to wire racks and allow to cool.
  9. Spread about a teaspoon of blackberry jam on the flat side of one cookie and a teaspoon of lemon curd on the flat side of another cookie. Gently press the cookies together to form a sandwich. Be careful – these cookies are extremely delicate and crumble easily.

Lemon curd
yields 1 cup

2 1/2 egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 lemons, zested and juiced
1/2 stick of butter, cut into pats and chilled

  1. Bring an inch of water in a medium saucepan up to a simmer.
  2. Meanwhile, combine the egg yolks and sugar in a metal bowl that fits on the top of the saucepan without touching the water. Mix until smooth, about a minute.
  3. Measure out 1/3 cup of the lemon juice. If needed, use water to reach 1/3 cup.
  4. Add the lemon juice and zest to the egg mixture and whisk until smooth.
  5. Once the water reaches a simmer, reduce heat to low and place metal bowl on top of the saucepan.
  6. Whisk constantly until the mixture is thickened, about 8 minutes. It will be light yellow and will coat the back of a spoon.
  7. Remove from heat and whisk in the butter a pat at a time, allowing each one to melt before adding the next. Refrigerate until use.

You will probably have a ton of lemon curd leftover unless you make a lot of these dainties; I suggest that you try these lemon curd bars!


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Chocolate Chunk Cookies

I’m not a huge fan of chocolate, but everyone else in the world seems to be. So, here’s my gift to the rest of the world.

chocolate chunk cookie dough

Chocolate Chunk Cookies
makes 30 cookies

8 ounces semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped
4 tablespoons of butter
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt (omit if using salted butter)
2 eggs
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chunks (I used Baker’s)
1/2 cup walnuts, optional

chocolate chunk cookies

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
  2. Melt the 8 ounces of roughly chopped chocolate with the 4 tablespoons of butter in the microwave. Be careful not to burn it. I did about 5 intervals of 20 seconds.
  3. In a mixing bowl, combine eggs, brown sugar and vanilla. Mix on high for about 5 minutes. The mixture should be thick and glossy.
  4. Mix in the melted chocolate and butter mixture. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix until just blended. Stir in the 12 ounces of chocolate chunks and walnuts. Let the mixture sit for about ten minutes.
  5. Use a cookie scoop (about 1.5″ in diameter) to scoop the dough onto buttered baking sheets about 3 inches apart. I put 9 cookies onto each sheet just to be safe.
  6. Bake for 13 minutes. Do not overbake!! You don’t want the middle of the cookie to harden.
  7. Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 10 minutes and then place onto a cooling rack.