Toffee Brickle Cookies

Yum, yum, yum! These cookies are SO GOOD! I've made them many times, and they usually disappear very fast. (Plus, they are a breeze to throw together!) This recipe makes a large batch, so you can mix up the dough and bake as needed for Fresh-From-The-Oven-Cookies whenever you want them :)

Toffee Brickle Cookies

Adapted from Hersheys.com

Makes about 6 dozen

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar (or honey sucanat)

1 cup packed light brown sugar (or honey sucanat)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 eggs

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (or 17 oz. Soft White wheat flour)

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1 1/3 cups (8 oz pkg.) Heath toffee bits

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line cookie sheets with parchment, or lightly grease.

In a large bowl beat together butter, sugars, vanilla and salt until blended. Add eggs and beat well. In a separate bowl stir together flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Add gradually to butter mixture. Stir until just blended. Add in toffee bits. Stir until evenly dispersed. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto cookie sheets.

Bake until lightly browned, about 8 to 10 minutes. Allow to cool for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!

*You can also use these as ice cream sandwich bookends! Reserve some toffee bits to roll the edges into for an over-the-top delicious treat!*

Happy Baking!

Peanut Butter Stuffed Chocolate Fudge Cookies

These massive cookies are just as much fun to make as they are to eat. Take a bite to find a surprise peanut butter filling in the center. Yummers!

If you want to make these cookies smaller, feel free! Simply use a small scoop for the chocolate dough, and use half of a small scoop of the peanut butter dough for each cookie. Super easy!

Peanut Butter Stuffed Chocolate Fudge Cookies

Adapted from Picky-Palate.com

Makes about 3 dozen large cookies

Ingredients for peanut butter centers:

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup granulated sugar (or honey sucanat)

1 egg

For the chocolate dough:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar (or honey sucanat)

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar (or honey sucanat)

2 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour (or 8 oz Soft White wheat flour)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

1 cup cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 350º. Line cookie tray with parchment paper.

Mix peanut butter and sugar in a bowl. Add egg and stir until well combined. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter and sugars until thoroughly combined. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix until well incorporated. Mix together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Add to creamed mixture. Blend until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

Use a small cookie scoop to scoop out a peanut butter dough ball. Use a medium cookie scoop to scoop out a chocolate cookie dough ball for the top and for the bottom of the peanut butter ball. Press both chocolate dough balls around peanut butter ball, sealing the edges, and shaping into a somewhat flat cookie. Continue making cookies, placing them about an inch apart on cookie tray. Bake until cooked through, about 15-20 minutes. Allow cookies to cool for several minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Serve with milk. Enjoy!

Marbled Royal Icing Cookies

Looking for something special to make for Valentine's Day? Look no farther! These cookies are SO fun to make and eat! (Despite the long instructions, they are actually very easy to make!)

This basic recipe can be changed up in so many great ways! You can mix up the cookie flavor (by using sugar cookie, chocolate sugar cookie, shortbread, gingerbread, etc.) and mix up the flavoring in the icing (by using clear vanilla, almond, lemon, orange, raspberry, strawberry, mint, cinnamon, cherry, coconut, etc.) to create whole new flavor combos every time you make these cookies! They are totally DELISH! (For another yummy recipe, check out last year's Valentine's Day cookies!)

Marbled Royal Icing Cookies

Design ideas from HERE and HERE

Icing recipe from Wilton.com

Makes 2 dozen

To make the cookies you will need:

2 dozen cookies (I used Shortbread, but you can use any sturdy roll-out cookie)

1 batch royal icing (recipe follows)

pink food coloring (I used Wilton)

For royal icing:

3 tablespoons meringue powder

4 cup (about 1 lb.) confectioners' sugar

6 tablespoons warm water

*Make sure that your bowl and beaters are grease-free - the icing won't set up if they aren't!* Beat all ingredients for about 7-10 minutes on low speed in a stand mixer (or 10-12 with a hand mixer). Test the icing for proper consistency using the '10-second rule'. Just take a spoonful of the icing and drop it back into the bowl. It should take about 10 seconds to disappear into the rest of the icing. If it takes less than 10 seconds, keep mixing, if it takes more than 10 it is too thick, so add a little bit of water to the icing.

Once the icing has reached the proper consistency, color a portion of the icing pink (or color of choice), and leave the rest white. Transfer into zip-top bags with a very small hole cut in the corner, (or use a grease-free decorator tip - I used #2). Outline the cookie with main color, then "flood" the entire cookie by filling the outlined space with the same color icing. Use contrasting color to make design.

To make heart border: After cookie has been "flooded", apply dots of icing around edges of cookie in contrasting color, about 1/4 inch away from the edge of the icing outline. Take a toothpick and run it through the center of all the dots, creating little hearts (You don't need to lift the toothpick out of icing when doing each dot, just make it one continuous motion).

To make swirl design: After cookie has been "flooded", make horizontal lines across cookie using contrasting color. Then drag toothpick up and down (as if drawing the letter "S") through the icing to make swirls. (There is a great photo tutorial here.)

To make dot border: After cookie has been "flooded", add evenly spaced dots around the border of the cookie. (If you want the dots to sit on top of the icing, instead of sink into it, just allow the flooded cookie to harden for 5 minutes before adding dots.)

Let cookies sit uncovered at room temperature until completely dry (this may take 12+ hours).

Wishing you Happy Baking, and a very Happy Valentine's Day. Enjoy!

Chocolate Crinkles with Mint Truffle Kisses

These are so yummy! Chocolatey, minty, rich, and delicious. I thought these would be just the thing for my 100th post :) Yay!

You could totally mix these up by changing the extract and using different flavored kisses. (Such as raspberry, caramel, coconut, peanut butter, or anything else you can think of!)

These not only look pretty, but are actually very easy to whip up - good reasons to make some soon! Yummers!

Chocolate Crinkles with Mint Truffle Kisses

Adapted from RecipeGirl.com

Makes about 5 dozen

2 cups flour (or 10 oz Soft White Wheat flour)

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups sugar (or honey sucanat)

1/2 cup vegetable oil

4 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp peppermint extract

1 cup powdered sugar

1 bag of Mint Truffle flavored Hershey's Kisses (can use peppermint, or plain instead)

Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl.

In separate bowl whisk together sugar, oil, and eggs until thoroughly combined. Stir in extracts. Stir dry ingredients into wet, until just combined. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350º. Line baking sheets with parchment. Form dough into 1 tablespoon sized balls. Roll in powder sugar. Space 1 1/2 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake until cookies crackle, and dough no longer looks raw (about 11-13 minutes) Don't over-bake! Unwrap kisses while cookies bake. As soon as cookies come out of the oven, place a kiss into the center of each cookie. (If you don't want the kisses to melt too much, you can place in the fridge or freezer shortly after placing kisses onto the cookies). Allow to cool completely before transferring to airtight container. Enjoy!

Dainty Sandwich Cookies

I absolutely love these treats - decadent chocolate sandwiched between two crisp, buttery cookies. Deliciousness! And the sprinkling of salt and sugar on the tops? Pure genius! It really brings out the flavors of the cookie.

These are surprisingly easy to whip up. I like to roll my dough out between sheets of plastic wrap - I just find it to be easier. However, the dough is easy to work with, so feel free to roll them out strait on the countertop. Either way, roll some out soon : )

Dainty Sandwich Cookies

Adapted from 101 Cookbooks

Makes about 2 dozen, 1 1/2-inch cookies

2 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or 12.5 oz Soft White wheat flour)

1 teaspoon baking powder

scant 1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon poppy seeds

6 ounces (1 1/2 sticks) butter, room temperature

2/3 cup brown sugar, packed (or honey sucanat)

2 large egg yolks

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2-3 tablespoons milk

1 tablespoon big flaky sea salt (optional)

1 tablespoon turbinado sugar (optional) (or honey sucanat)

6-7 ounces (I used 12 oz) dark, semi-sweet, or milk chocolate, chopped

additional equipment: 1 1/2-inch cookie cutter

Preheat oven to 350°, with the racks in the top third of the oven.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and poppy seeds in a medium bowl. Set aside

In a separate bowl, beat butter until fluffy and creamy (by hand or with an electric mixer). Mix in sugar and scrape down bowl. Mix in egg yolks and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture by hand, being careful not to overmix. If dough seems dry, add the milk. Dump out dough on counter and knead it a few times so it comes together. Divide and form dough into four discs. Wrap in plastic and chill in the fridge until firm, about 30 minutes.

Roll out dough 1/8-inch thick on a floured surface (or between two pieces of plastic wrap). Stamp out using a 1 1/2-inch cookie cutter. Place 1-inch apart on parchment lined cookie sheets. Place in fridge or freezer until well-chilled. Sprinkle with a small pinch of turbinado sugar and sea salt.

Bake for about 7 minutes, or until edges are golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack. When cookies are cool, and you're ready to assemble the cookies, melt chocolate in double boiler, (or in a bowl placed over a pot of simmering water). Spread 1/2 teaspoon of the melted chocolate (I spread 1 tsp) on one cookie, and spread out almost to the edge. Top with another cookie and press together until chocolate is nearly coming out. Repeat with the rest of the cookies. Allow chocolate to set before transferring to an airtight container. Enjoy!

Snickerdoodles

Snickerdoodle - what a fun word! You know what else is fun about snickerdoodles? Eating them! Oh yeah...

They are a childhood classic, and for good reasons too. They are quick and easy to throw together, the kids can help roll the dough in cinna-sugar, and they taste down right scrumptious. I'd say that last one is reason enough to make some ASAP, ha ha!

Snickerdoodles

Adapted from BettyCrocker.com

Makes about 3 dozen

1 1/2 cups sugar (or honey sucanat)

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

2 eggs

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (or 13 oz. Soft White wheat flour)

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup sugar (or honey sucanat)

2 teaspoons cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400°.

In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups sugar, butter, and eggs. In a separate bowl stir together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Add to butter mixture and stir until just combined.

In a small bowl stir together 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon. Roll dough into 1 1/4-inch balls, and toss in sugar mixture. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet, 2 inches apart.

Bake until set, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool. Enjoy!

Shortbread Cookies

Oh so buttery, oh so rich. Crunchy and delicious, that's what they are!

These lend themselves very well to be cut into different shapes and sizes. I've tried countless varieties of cookie cutters, and as long as you remember to chill the dough before baking, they hold their shape great! Play around and have fun : )

Shortbread Cookies

Adapted from Ina Garten

Makes about 2 dozen cookies

3/4 pound (3 sticks) butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar (or honey sucanat)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 1/2 cups flour (or 17 oz. Soft White wheat flour)

1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350°.

Cream butter with sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, until just combined. Add vanilla.

In a separate bowl sift together flour and salt. Add to butter mixture. Mix on low until dough just comes together. Dump onto lightly floured surface and form into a disk shape. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

Roll out dough to 1/2-inch thickness and cut using 3-inch circle cutter, or cutter of choice. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and sprinkle with sugar (optional). Place cookie sheet in the fridge (or freezer) until chilled. Bake until the edges start to brown, about 20-25 minutes. Allow to cool completely before transferring to an airtight container. Enjoy!

Double-Chocolate Dream Cookies

Rich chocolate dough scattered with chunks of even more chocolate - a total classic. So simple, yet so yummy. I love these cookies - with their soft centers and crisp edges. So good!

These are incredibly easy to whip up - just the ticket when you're in the mood for a chocolaty treat.

Double-Chocolate Dream Cookies
Adapted from VeryBestBaking.com
Makes about 4 dozen cookies

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (or 10 oz Soft White wheat flour)
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar (or honey sucanat)
3/4 cup granulated sugar (or honey sucanat)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 cups (12-oz pkg) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 375º.

In a bowl stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl beat butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla until creamy. Beat in eggs until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Slowly beat in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Place rounded tablespoons of dough on ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake until cookies are puffed, about 8-10 minutes. Allow to cool for 2 minutes before transferring to wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!

Orange Creamsicle Cookies

Sometimes you come across a recipe idea that is just so good, you wonder why you haven't heard of it before. I mean really, creamsicle cookies? Brilliant! I think this recipe may just become an instant classic in our house. SO GOOD!

These cookies taste unique and delicious - so flavorful too! If you are currently in a cookie rut, these will snap you out of it quicker than you can say "tropical paradise in my mouth", (though I'm pretty sure no one will be able to understand what you're saying, because your mouth will be full of cookies, haha!). Oh, and here's a fun idea - make yourself an "ice cream sandwich" by filling two creamsicle cookie bookends with orange-sherbet...yum yum yum...


Orange Creamsicle Cookies
Adapted from The Cooking Photographer
Makes 2-3 dozen cookies

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar (or honey sucanat)
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar (or honey sucanat)
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon (organic) orange extract
2 tablespoons fresh orange zest, grated
3/4 teaspoons baking soda
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (or 12 oz. Soft White wheat flour)
10-12 oz. bag white chocolate chips (about 2 cups)

Preheat your oven to 375º. Cover cookie sheets with parchment paper (I didn't find it necessary).

Cream butter and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add egg, salt, vanilla extract, orange extract, and zest. Stir until combined. Stir together baking soda and flour. Add and mix until just incorporated. Stir in white chocolate chips.

Drop by rounded tablespoons onto cookie sheet, or use mini scoop for smaller cookies. Bake until very lightly browned, about 7 minutes for mini's or 8-10 minutes for regular sized cookies. Allow to rest a few minutes before transferring to a rack to cool completely. Enjoy!

"Red Velvet" Cookies

So why, you may ask, are these titled "Red Velvet" if they are, in fact, not red? Well, in the quest to decrease the amount of artificial ingredients in my baking, I simply left out the food coloring. Did you know that red velvet desserts are actually chocolate flavored? I know, right!?!

If you want your cookies to be "true" red velvet cookies, go ahead and add the coloring. However, they taste just as amazing without it : )

These are so chewy, so chocolatey, and so delicious. I really liked them using the vanilla chips, but feel free to stick with the original chocolate chips if you want - either way would be yummers!
"Red Velvet" Cookies
Adapted from this recipe
Makes 15-20 cookies

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar (or honey sucanat)
1/2 cup brown sugar (or honey sucanat)
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (or 7.5 oz Soft White wheat flour)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon red food coloring (optional)
1/2 cup chocolate or vanilla chips

Preheat your oven to 375º.

Cream together the butter and sugars until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla. Stir in coloring (if using). Stir together cocoa, flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to creamed mixture. Stir until smooth. Fold in chocolate chips.

Using medium cookie scoop, place 2-tablespoon-sized dough balls on cookie sheet, leaving 2 inches between cookies. Bake until cracked and slightly puffy looking, about 12-15 minutes. Enjoy!

Chocolate-Vanilla Heart Cookies

Wow! These cookies not only look cute, they taste amazing! Crisp and buttery, these are sure to please : )

This dough is also easy to work with, and can be made in any shape you want. Use your imagination!
Chocolate-Vanilla Heart Cookies
Adapted from this recipe
Makes about 3 dozen

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar (or honey sucanat)
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 2/3 cups all purpose flour (or 13 oz Soft White wheat flour)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

Beat butter and sugar until fluffy with an electric mixer. Beat in egg and vanilla extract. In a separate bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir into creamed mixture. Knead dough gently for 1 minute on a lightly floured surface. Divide dough into two equal portions. Add cocoa powder to one, and knead until thoroughly incorporated. Shape each dough portion into a disc , wrap in plastic, and refrigerate until firm (about 3 hours, or up to 1 day). When ready to shape cookies, allow dough to slightly soften before rolling out.

Preheat oven to 350º, and place rack in center of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Work with one of the dough portions at a time. Roll out to 1/8-inch thickness on a surface covered with parchment paper (I used plastic wrap). Use a floured 3-in heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out cookies. Place on cookie sheet about 1/2-inch apart. Repeat until all the dough is used.. Cover cookies with plastic wrap and refrigerate about 20 minutes, or until firm. Repeat with second portion of dough, refrigerating those also until firm. Using a 2-inch cutter, cut out smaller hearts from the centers of the vanilla and chocolate cookies. Swap the centers, placing the vanilla in the chocolate, and the chocolate in the vanilla. Repeat with 1-inch cutter, swapping those centers. You should now have two-toned cookies. (You may have to gently press the dough after placing in the new center, so that the edges come together.)

Chill in refrigerator for 20 more minutes. Bake for about 12-15 minutes. (You don't want the vanilla dough to get too browned, or the contrast won't be as vivid). Allow to cool 5 minutes before transferring to a rack to cool completely. Store for up to 3 days in an air-tight container. Enjoy!

Crunchy M&M Cookies

These cookies are not only easy to throw together, they are crunchy, satisfying, and delicious! Great for dipping in a glass of ice cold milk : )

If you bought any Christmas M&M's on super-markdown last year, or still have some leftover, then here's a tip - pull out the red ones and use them for Valentine's Day, and save the green ones to use for St. Patrick's Day. Or just go rainbow style, and use the regular multi-colored ones. Either way, they're delicious!

Crunchy M&M Cookies
Adapted from this recipe
Makes about 3 dozen

1/2 cup granulated sugar (or honey sucanat)
1/2 cup brown sugar (or honey sucanat)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk
2 cups flour (or 10 oz Soft White wheat flour)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cream of tarter
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips
M&M's for top of cookies (about 100, or 1 cup)

In a bowl cream together the sugars and butter. Add egg, milk and vanilla. Stir until combined. In a separate bowl stir together dry ingredients. Add to creamed mixture. (Dough may look dry, but just keep stirring and it will come together.) Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop by rounded tablespoons on ungreased cookies sheet. Press 3 M&M's into the top of each cookie. Bake at 350º until lightly browned, about 10-12 minutes. While still warm transfer to cooling rack. Cool completely. Enjoy!

Chocolate Fudge Pomegranate Cookies

Wow, wow, wow! Who would have thought that pomegranate seeds (or arils) would be so delicious in chocolate cookies? Let me just tell you - they are!

The cookies are so rich and fudge-like, and the arils add a burst of flavor and freshness. Yum...

Chocolate Fudge Pomegranate Cookies
Adapted from this recipe
Makes about 30 cookies

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar (or honey sucanat)
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour (or 5 oz Soft White wheat flour)
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon pomegranate juice
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/3 cup pomegranate arils (seeds)

In a bowl cream butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until mixture is fluffy. In a small bowl mix together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Add to creamed mixture. Stir in pomegranate juice until thoroughly mixed. Fold in chocolate chips and pomegranate arils. Refrigerate dough until firm (about 2-4 hours).

Once dough is chilled preheat oven to 350º. Roll dough into 1-inch sized balls and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Allow to cool. Enjoy!

Chocolate Chewies

These cookies are extremely rich and chocolatey, yet they have a light texture. They are quick to throw together, and taste delicious.

You don't want to overbake these, but you do want to make sure you bake them enough. I added about 5 minutes to my bake time, and still could have gone a few more minutes I think. These were so very yummy (I say were because we already ate them all, haha!).


Chocolate Chewies
Adapted from this recipe
Makes about 3 dozen

12 oz powdered sugar
2 oz cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 egg whites (can use yolks to make a key lime pie)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat your oven to 350º.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, using whisk attachment, stir together the dry ingredients. On low speed add egg whites one at a time. (The batter will look dry, up until you add the final egg white). Add vanilla. Mix on high for 2 minutes, until batter is thick (it should resemble brownie batter).

Spoon batter onto a cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake until they look puffed up, and you start to smell them, about 20 minutes. Allow to fully cool before removing from the cookie sheet. Enjoy!

Chocolate Crinkles

Not only are these cookies dense, fudgy, and delicious, but they don't take much time to throw together either.

These also work well if you freeze them uncooked, and pop in the oven as needed (just add a few minutes to the bake time). Yummy!

Chocolate Crinkles
Adapted from Joy of Baking
Makes about 3 dozen cookies

4 tablespoons (56 grams) butter
8 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped (or use chips)
1/2 cup (100 grams) sugar (or honey sucanat)
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (195 grams) all-purpose flour (or 7 oz Soft White wheat flour)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Topping:

1 cup (110 grams) confectioners sugar, sifted

Preheat oven to 325º, and place oven rack in the center of the oven. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Melt chocolate and butter in a stainless steel bowl, placed over simmering water. Stir until smooth. Remove and set aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat eggs and sugar until mixture is thick, pale, and fluffy. (Mixture should fall into the bowl in slow ribbons when beaters are raised). Beat in vanilla. Stir in chocolate mixture.

Whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder in a small bowl. Add to chocolate mixture. Stir until just incorporated. Cover dough and refrigerate until firm enough to shape dough into balls. (About 3 hours).

In a shallow bowl, place the confectioners sugar. Roll dough into 1-inch sized balls, with lightly greased hands. Roll balls in confections sugar, until fully coated. Tap off excess, and place on cookie sheet. Space cookies about 2 inches apart. (If dough becomes too soft, allow to firm up in the fridge).

Bake just until the edges are slightly firm, but centers of cookies are still soft, about 8-10 minutes. (You want to be careful not to overbake these, as this will make them dry.) Allow cookies to cool on a wire rack. (Best eaten the day they are baked). Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Blossoms

For some reason I get nostalgic about peanut butter blossoms, (and sugar cookie blossoms, too, for that matter). I think it must be from the fond memories I have from my childhood of my siblings and I pressing the kisses into the freshly baked cookies, and having to wait a whole 2 minutes before we were allowed to eat one, so that the chocolate could melt.

These cookies are quick, easy, and delicious. They can also be made ahead of time and frozen in their uncooked state. Super handy to have when you need something yummy on short notice.

Peanut Butter Blossoms
Adapted from Hershey's
Makes 3-4 dozen cookies

48 (or one per cookie) Hershey's chocolate kisses
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup granulated sugar (or honey sucanat)
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar (or honey sucanat)
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (or 7.5 oz Soft White wheat flour)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Granulated sugar for rolling cookies in

Preheat oven to 375º.

In a large bowl cream butter and peanut butter until well blended. Add sugars and beat until mixture is fluffy. Add the egg, milk and vanilla extract. Beat until incorporated. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add to peanut butter mixture. Stir until combined.

Shape dough into balls, about 1 inch wide. Roll balls in granulated sugar, and place onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Unwrap chocolate kisses while cookies are baking.

Bake cookies until lightly browned, about 8-10 minutes. After removing from oven, immediately press a chocolate kiss into the center of each cookie. (The cookie should crack slightly around the edges). Remove cookies from pan and place on a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!

Lime Meltaways

These cookies are a breeze to throw together, and they turn out wonderfully crisp and delicious. They are great for tea-time, or for a cookie exchange because they are so cute, and fun to eat.

I also love these cookies because you can freeze the logs, and have them ready to go when you need a last-minute goody. You can slice and bake as many or as few as you want. So handy, and so scrumptious!

Lime Meltaways
Adapted from Martha Stewart
Makes about 10 dozen

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup confectioners' sugar, divided
Grated zest of 2 limes
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour (or Soft White wheat flour)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt

Cream butter and 1/3 cup sugar until fluffy in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Add lime zest, juice, and vanilla. Beat until fluffy.

Whisk together flour, cornstarch, and salt in a medium bowl. Add to creamed mixture. Beat on low until combined.

Roll dough into two logs between parchment paper, making each log 1 1/4 inch in diameter chill for at least 1 hour. (At this point the logs can be frozen for up to 2 months.

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Place remaining 2/3 cup sugar in zip-top bag and set aside. Remove parchment paper from logs, and slice logs into 1/8-inch thick rounds. Place on parchment lined baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch space between.

Bake cookies about 15 minutes, or until lightly golden. Transfer to wire rack and allow to cool slightly (about 8-10 minutes). While cookies are still warm toss in sugar-filled bag to coat lightly. Allow to cool completely. Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

Peanut butter lovers, this one is for you! Two crisp cookies, sandwiched together with a creamy filling...yum!These can be enjoyed at room temperature, or you can throw them in the freezer after they have been baked and filled, and enjoy them that way. Both ways are good! (I also think these would be delicious dipped half-way in chocolate!)

Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

Adapted from Martha Stewart via Not So Humble Pie
Makes about three dozen sandwiches

Cookie:
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting (or 10 oz Soft White wheat flour)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature but still firm
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar (or honey sucanat)
1/2 cup light brown sugar (or honey sucanat)
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Peanut Butter Cream:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature but still firm
3/4 cup confectioners sugar
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons heavy cream (optional) (I omitted)

Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.

Beat butter, peanut butter, and sugars in bowl of an electric mixer using paddle attachment, or using a hand mixer. Beat for 3-4 minutes, until light and fluffy. Turn mixer to low and add vanilla and egg. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Continuing on low speed, add flour mixture. Mix until combined (1 minute).

Separate the dough into two portions, and wrap each in plastic wrap. Flatten into disks. Chill at least one hour or overnight.

After your dough is chilled, preheat oven to 325ºF. Roll out one of the dough disks on a well floured surface. Cut into desired shapes using cookie cutter. Place cookies on pans lined with parchment paper, or silicone baking mats. If dough becomes too soft while being re-rolled, wrap it back in plastic and place in freezer to reharden, and roll out the other disk of dough.

Once cookies have been trayed, you can place trays in freezer until cookies are hard to help them hold their shape better while baking. (This is optional).

Bake cookies until crisp, about 20 minutes.

Allow cookies to cool completely on a wire wrack before filling them.

For the filling:

Combine butter, peanut butter, and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, (or using a hand mixer). Beat on medium until filling is uniform and fluffy. If filling seems too dense, add some cream. ( I didn't feel it needed any).

To make sandwiches, either fill a zip-top bag with filling and squeeze onto cookies, or spread it on using a spatula. Just spread a generous amount of filling on bottom of one cookie, and top with another.

They are now ready to enjoy. You can serve at room temperature, or chilled. (You can just store the cookies in the freeze, and take them out as you need them).

Cookies will keep for 3 days in an air-tight container at room temperature, or 4 weeks in the freezer. Enjoy!

Cafe Coffee Cookies

If you enjoy coffee, I think you will really enjoy these! They are quick and easy to throw together, yet they look like they took a long time to make.

I have made these in the larger size and the smaller size. Both are delicious! If you need them to go further, then go ahead with the smaller size. If you are making them for a special coffee visit with a few close friends, go all out and make the large ones.

Cafe Coffee Cookies

Adapted from BettyCrocker.com
Makes about 15 large, or 3 dozen regular-sized cookies

1/2 cup granulated sugar (or honey sucanat)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar (or honey sucanat)
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (or 7 oz Soft White wheat flour)
1 tablespoon instant coffee granules or instant espresso coffee (dry)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 bag (11.5 or 12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips or chunks (2 cups)
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional) (can add 1/2 cup extra choc. chips instead)

For the coffee drizzle:

1 teaspoon instant coffee granules or instant espresso coffee (dry)
2 tablespoons water
1 cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350º.

Beat together in a large bowl the granulated sugar, brown sugar, butter, and egg (using an electric mixer on medium, or by hand), until creamy. In a separate bowl mix together the flour, coffee granules, baking soda and salt. Stir into creamed mixture. Add chocolate chips and pecans (if using). Stir until dispersed.

Drop dough onto a large ungreased cookie sheet by 1/4 cupfuls, leaving 2 inches between. (Or drop by rounded tablespoons for smaller cookie size).

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown, and edges are set. Allow to cool 4 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely, (about 30 minutes).

In a small bowl dissolve the coffee granules in the water. Stir in the powder sugar. The mixture should be smooth and thin enough to drizzle. Drizzle on top of cooled cookies. Allow drizzle to harden before transferring to an airtight container. Enjoy!

Flax Oatmeal Cookies

These cookies not only live on the healthy side of life, but they are totally YUMMY! You would never guess they are whole wheat, and made from a less-refined sweetener. Plus, they contain flax, oatmeal, nuts, and coconut.

I think that warrants eating a few extra cookies, don't you? : )

As an added plus, they seem to be pretty sturdy, so they are great when you have to transport them somewhere.

The book this recipe comes from is sold by the same company that sells the wheat and sucanat I use in my baking. I highly recommend purchasing this book if you would like a collection of recipes that are designed for use with freshly ground whole wheat flour. I have yet to try one of their recipes that didn't turn out delicious. Check out their site for more info!

Flax Oatmeal Cookies

Adapted from The Bread Beckers Recipe Collection
Makes about 5 dozen cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup honey sucanat (or granulated sugar)
1 cup molasses sucanat (or brown sugar)
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
12 1/2 oz Soft White wheat flour (or 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour)
1 cup freshly milled oatmeal (or old-fashioned oats)
1/2 cup ground flax seeds (I use a coffee-bean grinder to do this)
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt.
1 1/2 cups unsweetened dried coconut (you can substitute regular sweetened coconut)
1 cup chopped almonds
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350º.

Cream together the butter, honey-sucanat, and molasses-sucanat, making a grainy paste consistency.

Add eggs and vanilla and stir well. Mix together the dry ingredients. Stir into creamed mixture. Stir in coconut, almonds, and chocolate chips (if using).

Shape into 1-inch sized balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheet leaving about 2 inches between cookies. (Cookie scoop works best).

Bake for 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Enjoy!