Softest Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/4 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 c. butter
1/2 c. sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 small package instant vanilla pudding mix
2 t. vanilla
1 egg
1/2 package chocolate chips
1/2 c. chopped nuts (optional)

Stir flour, baking soda & salt; set aside.  Combine butter, sugars and pudding mix, beating until fluffy.  Add vanilla and egg; beat until smooth.  Add dry ingredients and mix well.  Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.  Bake at 375 degrees F. for 8-10 minutes.

by Sariah R.

Snickerdoodles

2 ¾ c. flour

2 t. cream of tartar

1 t. baking soda

¼ t. salt

½ c. shortening

½ c. butter, softened

1 ¾ c. sugar, divided

2 eggs

1 t. vanilla

2 t. cinnamon

In a medium bowl, stir together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt; set aside.  In large bowl, beat shortening, butter, and 1 ½ c. sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs and vanilla, mix well.  Add flour mixture to the shortening mixture.  Mix only until incorporated.  Roll dough into 1” balls.  In small bowl, combined remaining ¼ c. sugar and cinnamon. Roll balls in cinnamon mixture to coat and place 2 in. apart on cookie sheet.  Bake @ 375  for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned.

by Christie J.

Chocolate Toffee Cookies

2 c. flour (I add almost a cup more so it's not so sticky)
1/3 c unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
1 c butter ( I do half butter half margarine)
1 c sugar
2/3 c brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 bag toffee bits

Mix flour, cocoa, soda, salt, set aside. Cream butter, sugar, brown sugar. Add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla. On low speed gradually add flour mixture. Stir in toffee bits.
Bake at 350 for 12-13 minutes.

by Christie J.

Chocolate Mint Cookies

1 Devil's Food Cake mix

3/4 c. shortening

1 t. vanilla

2 eggs

1 pkg. Andes mints

Mix together cake mix, shortening, vanilla & eggs. Roll into a log (it will be sticky, but rolls out on counter nicely). Divide in half, and then each half into 24 balls. Place balls on an ungreased baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Do not over bake. Remove from oven and immediately place a mint on each cookie. Let set until melted. Spread with a knife. Place in cool area to set up.

by Tenille W.

Chocolate Fudge Thumbprints

3/4 c. sugar

3/4 c. butter or margarine, softened

1/2 t. vanilla

1 egg

1 3/4 c. all purpose flour

3 T. unsweetened baking cocoa

1/4 t. salt

hard peppermint candies, crushed

Fudge Filling:

1/4 c. whipping cream

1 c. milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large bowl, beat sugar, butter, vanilla and egg until well blended. Stir in flour, cocoa, and salt until dough forms. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Place balls about 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Press thumb into center of each cookie, but do not press all the way through. Bake 7-11 minutes or until edges are firm. If necessary, quickly remake indentations with end of wooden spoon. Immediately remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat whipping cream over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until steaming. Remove from heat; stir in chocolate chips until melted. Cool about 10 minutes or until thickened. Spoon rounded 1/2 teaspoonfuls of filling into indentation in each cookie. Top with crushed candies.

Makes about 3 1/2 dozen.

by Catherine S.

Peanut Butter Blossoms

1 c. peanut butter

1 c. sugar

1 egg

1 t. vanilla

milk chocolate kisses

In mixing bowl, cream peanut butter and sugar. Add egg and vanilla. Beat until blended. Roll into 1 1/4 inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Immediately press on chocolate kiss in center of each cookie. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from cookie sheet.

by Shelley F.

Lemon Lime Cookies

1 c. sugar

2/3 c. shortening

1 T. grated lemon peel

2 T. lemon juice

2 t. grated lime peel

1 T. lime juice

1 egg

1 3/4 c. flour

1/2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Beat sugar, shortening, lemon peel, lemon juice, lime peel, lime juice and egg in large bowl wit an electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Stir in flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 11-13 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool 1-2 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. Frost with Lemon Lime Frosting.

Lemon Lime Frosting:

2 c. powdered sugar

2 T. butter or margarine, softened

1 t. grated lime peel

1 T. lemon juice

2-3 t. water

Mix all ingredients til smooth and spreadable.

by Catherine S.

Spritz Cookies

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 cups butter softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon no-color almond extract

Makes: 7-8 dozen cookies.

Preheat oven to 350ºF. In bowl, combine flour and baking powder. In large bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg, milk, vanilla and almond extract; mix well. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture; beat until combined. Do not chill. Fill cookie press with dough and with desired disks, press cookies onto ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake 10-12 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 2 minutes on cookie sheet on cooling rack. Remove from sheet; cool completely.

by Becky B.

Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

3/4 C butter at room temp.
2 3/4 C flour
1 1/4 C sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
green food coloring, 12-15 drops
2 C Andes Creme de Menthe Baking chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs, scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again. Add vanilla and mix until light and fluffy again.

Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until combined. Add enough green food coloring to get the right color. (The color of the cookie dough should be a little darker than you want the cookie color to be.) Add mint chips.

Drop cookie dough by the tablespoon onto parchment paper on a baking sheet. Bake for 12-14 minutes.

by Shelley F.

Cassy's Outrageous Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 c. sugar
1/3 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. peanut butter
1/2 t. vanilla
1 egg
1 c. flour
1/2 c. rolled oats
1 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
1 c. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine all ingredients and mix well. Drop by tablespoons onto a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes.

by Cassy M.

Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Cookies

1 lb. butter, softened
8 oz. sugar
4 c. flour

Cream butter and sugar together with hand mixer. Add half the flour and mix with wooden spoon. Add remaining flour and knead with hands. Roll out and cut cookies. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 15-20 minutes. Melt dipping chocolate (or 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips plus 1 t. shortening) in saucepan over low heat. Dip each cookie halfway into chocolate, letting excess drip off. Place on waxed paper. Sprinkle with candy or chopped nuts. Let stand until chocolate is set.

by Sariah R.

Chocolate Dipped Spritz Cookies

1 c. butter, softened
3/4 c. sugar
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
2 1/4 c. flour
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. baking powder
11 oz. chocolate candy melts or chocolate chips
Finely chopped toppings (candy cane, sprinkles, sugars, etc.)

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine flour, salt and baking powder. Add to creamed mixture. Using a cookie press or Ziplock bag, press dough into small circles on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees F. for 7-9 minutes. (Do Not Brown). Cool on wire racks. Melt chocolate candy in saucepan or microwave. Dip cooled cookies halfway in chocolate. Sprinkle with toppings, place on wax paper until set.

by Jana C.

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

½ c. oil
4 T. margarine
2 c. sugar
4 eggs
2 t. vanilla
2 c. flour
2 t. baking powder
½ t. salt
¾ c. cocoa
Powdered sugar

Mix oil, butter and sugar. Blend in 1 egg at a time until well mixed. Add vanilla. Stir flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa into sugar mixture. Mix well. Chill dough. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Drop teaspoonfuls of dough into powdered sugar and roll into 1” balls. Put on greased cookie sheet (or use parchment paper). Place balls 2” apart. Don’t press down.
Bake 10 minutes.

*I chill my dough overnight. The dough gets really sticky if left out of the fridge very long; in between batches keep dough in the fridge.


by Catherine S.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

½ c. butter (or ½ margarine, ½ shortening)
1 ½ c. sugar
2 eggs
1 c. pumpkin
1 t. vanilla
2 ½ c. flour
1 t. soda
1 t. salt
1 t. nutmeg
2 t. cinnamon
1 ½ c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, pumpkin, and vanilla. Combine flour, soda, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Add to pumpkin mixture and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by spoonful onto an ungreased cookie sheet; or use scoop. Bake @ 350˚ for 15 minutes.


by Catherine S.

Chocolate White Chip Cookies

1 c. butter or margarine, softened
2 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 t. vanilla extract
2 c. flour
3/4 c. cocoa
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
2 c. White Chips

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla, mix well. Mix in dry ingredients. Stir in White Chips. Drop by spoonful onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 8-9 minutes.

*Replace White chips for peanut butter or butterscotch chips for Halloween colors.

by: JoAnna T.

Chewy Chocolate Cookies

1 1/4 c. butter or margarine, softened
2 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 t. vanilla
2 c. unsifted flour
3/4 c. Hershey's cocoa
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 c. finely chopped nuts, optional
2 c. Reese's Peanut Butter Chips

Cream butter & sugar in large mixer bowl. Add eggs & vanilla. Blend well. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda & salt. Gradually blend into creamed mixture. Stir in nuts & Peanut Butter chips. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake @ 350 degrees F for 8-9 minutes. Cool on cookie sheet until set, about 1 minute. Makes about 4 1/2 dozen.

by Sariah R.

Best-Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 c. butter (or margarine) softened
3/4 c. white sugar
1 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla

Mix together above ingredients.

3 c. flour
3/4 t. salt
3/4 t. baking soda

Mix dry ingredients together, add to sugar mixture. Add 12 oz. bag chocolate chips and mix. Bake @ 350 degrees F for 10 minutes. Makes 3 dozen.

by Jana C.

Double Peanut Butter Cookies

1 1/4 c. all purpose flour
3/4 t. baking soda
1/2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1/4 c. margarine, softened
1/4 c. shortening
1/2 c. peanut butter
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar, packed
1 egg
10 oz. pkg peanut butter & chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Combine flour, soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside. Beat margarine, shortening, peanut butter, sugars, and egg until well-blended. Gradually add flour mixture, mix well. Stir in peanut butter & chocolate chips. Using cookie scoop, place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
OR, roll into 1 in balls and flatten by pressing in a crisscross pattern with a fork.
Bake 10 minutes or until set. Cool slightly; remove from sheet to cooling rack.

Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

by Catherine S.

Candy Cane Cookies

1/2 c. crushed peppermint candy
1 c. sugar
2 c. margarine, softened
2 c. powdered sugar
2 eggs
3 t. almond extract
2 t. vanilla
1 t. red food coloring
5 c. flour
1 t. salt

In a small bowl, mix the crushed peppermint candy and sugar. Set aside.
In two medium bowls, mix the following ingredients (1 batch per bowl): 1 c. margarine, 1 c. powdered sugar, 1 egg, 1 1/2 t. almond extract, and 1 t. teaspoon vanilla. Add red food coloring to one batch and leave the other white.
Sift 2 1/2 c. flour and 1/2 t. salt into each bowl and mix well. (The red dough may require extra flour to compensate for the food coloring.) Chill the dough for 1 hour.
Shape both the white and red dough into 1/2" balls. Roll the balls into strips 4" long. Twist a red strip with a white strip to form a rope, then shape like a candy cane and place it on an ungreased cookie sheet. Repeat with the remaining strips.
Bake at 375 degrees for 8-9 minutes or until the edges are slightly browned. Remove the cookies from the cookie sheet while still warm and place on wire racks. Sprinkle the cookies with peppermint candy mixture. (For easier cleanup, place paper towel underneath the wire racks.)

(from The Friend magazine, Dec. 2003 p. 18-19)


by Catherine S.

Noni's Anise Italian Cookies

1/2 c. soft butter
4 oz. soft cream cheese
3/4 c. sugar
2 1/2 large eggs
1 t. vanilla
1 t. anise extract
2 1/2 t. baking powder
2 1/2 c. flour, sifted

Mix cream cheese, butter, sugar; then add beaten eggs. Add vanilla and anise extracts; mix until smooth. Add dry ingredients. Blend well.
Shape into small balls. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes till barely brown on bottom.

Frosting:
1/2 c. softened butter
1-1 1/4 powdered sugar
a little bit of milk
1/4-1/2 t. lemon extract to taste
sprinkles - the tiny colored balls

After cookies cool, dip in frosting and sprinkle while wet.


by Dianna G.