Fun Cookies

 M&M candies and salty peanuts, these chewy, buttery drop cookies are as fun to make as they are to eat.

 

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup sugar

1 egg

1 (10 oz) package M&M candies

3/4 cup peanuts

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.

Cream butter and sugars, beat in egg and vanilla. 

Blend the flour mixture into the creamed sugars and butter. Stir in candies and peanuts.

Drop by heaping teaspoon or small scoop onto ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 8-11 minutes.  

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

 From The Magnolia Bakery cook book by Bobbie Lloyd

 

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder (22 to 24%), sifted (Valrhona or Guittard)

2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil (we use a light olive oil) 

4 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup powdered sugar, sifted

 

Directions:

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

In another medium bowl, whisk together the sifted cocoa powder, granulated sugar, and oil. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, then add the vanilla. With a rubber spatula, stir the flour mixture into the cocoa mixture.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 325. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Place the sifted powdered sugar in a large bowl.

Using a #40 (1-ounce) cookie scoop, make uniform balls, then roll them in your palms until perfectly round. Drop the dough balls a few at at time, in the powdered sugar and roll around until completely coated.

Evenly space 12 balls about 2 inches apart on a lined baking sheets. Bake one sheet at a time on the center rack for 10-12 minutes. The cookies should crack on top and just start to set. Do not over bake.

If you are doing only one cookie sheet at a time, place the dough back into the refrigerator, until read to use.

Let the baked cookies sit on the baking sheet for 5 to 10 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Store in a air tight container with parchment paper between layers.   

 

 

Prize-Winning Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed

1 egg

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 Tablespoons milk

1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts 

6 oz (1 cup) semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the flour and baking soda, set aside

Using a electric mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter. Add the vanilla and sugars, then beat until fluffy. Beat in the egg. 

At low speed beat in the cocoa power and milk.

Add the dry ingredients and mix until blended. Stir in nuts and chocolate chips.

Drop by rounded teaspoons onto nonstick baking sheet.

Bake for 12 to 13 minutes. Remove from the oven and col slightly before transferring to a cooling rack.

Makes 3 dozen cookies.  

 

Cookie of All Cookies

Also known as Minnesota Muncher Cookies. This is the winning cookie recipe from Taste of Home National Cookie Contest. There were 34,000 entries and this cookie was the grand prize winner. Congratulations to M. Severson of Kittson County, Minnesota. These cookies have chocolate chips, toffee bar chips and pecans.  

Ingredients:

1 cup of butter (2 sticks)

1 1/2 cups light brown sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 3/4 cups of all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 (9 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup English toffee bits

1 cup chopped pecans

Please note: I've seen another recipe that calls for 1 cup of milk chocolate chips and 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips. And 2/3 cup of toffee bits. 

Directions:

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar for a few minutes. Beat in eggs and vanilla.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in another medium bowl and stir. Add this mixture to the butter and sugar mixture.

Stir in remaining ingredients.  

Drop by heaping tablespoons 2 inches apart on a greased baking sheets.

Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack.

 

 

 

 

Louisiana Congo Squares

 

Congo Squares, a delightfully chewy bar cookie that's been a beloved staple at church socials and family gatherings across the South. These rich, squares get their irresistible texture from brown sugar and their indulgent appeal from chocolate chips, nuts, and coconut.

Adapted from River Road and Talk About Good Louisiana regional community cookbooks.

Ingredients:

2 1/3 cups of all-purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup unsalted butter (11 Tablespoons)

2 1/4 cups of light brown sugar

3 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup broken pecans or walnuts

3/4 cup shredded coconut (optional) 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9x13 pan.

Whisk flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.

Melt the butter and add the brown sugar, whisk until smooth.

Add eggs, one at a time and stir in vanilla.

Mix into the dry ingredients, batter will be thick.

Fold in chips, nuts and coconut, if using.

Spread into prepared greased dish and spread evenly.

Bake 28-32 minutes until the top is golden and center is just set. 

Cool completely and cut into squares.  

 

Blue Ribbon Chocolate Chip Cookies

 From Blue Ribbon Kitchen by Linda Skeens

 

Ingredients:

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (12 Tablespoons)

3/4 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups of all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1 (12 oz) package semisweet chocolate chips

 Directions:

Preheat oven to 375. Grease a large cookie sheet.

Cream butter and sugars together in a bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Mix flour, salt and baking soda. Blend into creamed mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. 

Drop by level tablespoons 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheet.

Bake 10-12 minutes. Let cool completely on wire racks. 

 

 

Mexican Wedding Cookies

 

Also known as polvorones or Russian tea cakes, these delicate cookies are a holiday favorite for good reason. They're rich with butter and pecans, then rolled in powdered sugar while still warm for that perfect sweet coating. One bite and you'll understand why they're considered celebration-worthy.

 

 

Ingredients:

2 sticks of butter, softened

1/2 cup powdered sugar (extra for rolling) 

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 tablespoon bourbon2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted

1/4 t teaspoon salt

1 cup finely chopped pecans, lightly toasted

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper.

Toast pecans in a skillet.

Cream butter and sugar in a stand-up mixer at 4 for 2-3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla and bourbon.

Add the dry ingredients. Mix flour, salt and pecans together and gradually add to the wet ingredients.

Roll the cookies: scoop out small portions of dough (little larger than a tablespoon) and roll into balls. Place on parchment lined baking sheets about a 1" apart.

Bake cookies for 12-15 minutes until the bottoms are lightly golden. 

Let the cookies cool for 5 minutes, then roll them in powdered sugar. You can sift the rolling powdered sugar if desired.