Peanut Butter Cookies

Submitted by: bamanichole

Difficulty Rating: Very Easy

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg

DIRECTIONS:

• Mix together and spoon on ungreased cookie sheet press with fork to make indentions. Bake at 350 degrees about 10-15 mins until golden brown.

*posted by: michelle142*

Beer Cookies

Submitted by: wamozart12
Difficulty Rating: Medium

 

Adapted from Sean LaFond

 

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 12 ounces bottles of beer- Belgian style white beer is good, but for the holidays, I like the seasonal holiday cinnamon/nutmeg beers.
• 5 tablespoons honey
• 1 stick cinnamon (or 1/2teaspoon cinnamon if you don't have sticks)
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 star anises (optional if you don't have any)
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• zest of 1 orange
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

 

ICING (Optional):

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon orange juice
• 1 tablespoon whole milk
• 1 orange zested using a bar grater, optional

 

DIRECTIONS:

• Put the beer, honey, cinnamon stick, nutmeg and star anise into a medium saucepan and reduce over medium heat until you have about 1/3-1/2 cup of liquid, at which point the liquid will suddenly begin to aggressively foam due to the higher concentration of sugar (which looks different than the carbon dioxide foaming at the beginning). You may occasionally have to skim the foam off the top of the beer. This takes about an hour, and smells delicious. Remove cinnamon stick and star anise and discard. Let the reduction cool to room temperature.
• Cream the butter and sugar together. Add egg and blend thoroughly. Add vanilla, orange zest, coriander, and beer reduction and blend. Mix the flour and baking soda together then slowly add to the batter.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Scoop 1T balls of dough onto a cookie sheet, bake for 15-20 minutes, until edges just begin to turn golden brown.
• Let cookies cool completely.
• Optional Icing: Combine powdered sugar, vanilla, milk and orange juice with a fork or small whisk. Drizzle over or place a dollop on each cookie. Garnish with curls of orange zest.

 

 

*posted by: michelle142*

Peppermint Bark

Submitted by: wamozart12

Difficulty Rating: Medium

Taken from orangette.blogspot.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 20 oz. white chocolate, finely chopped
• 10 candy canes, coarsely crushed
• 7 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 6 Tbsp. heavy cream
• 1 tsp. peppermint extract

DIRECTIONS:

• Cover a large baking sheet securely with aluminum foil. Measure out and mark a 9- by 12-inch rectangle on the foil (or just approximate when adding the chocolate).
• Put the white chocolate in a metal (or other heatproof) bowl, and set it over a saucepan of barely simmering water. (Do not allow the bottom of the bowl to touch the water.) Stir occasionally until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove the chocolate from the heat. Pour 2/3 cup of it onto the rectangle on the foil. Using an icing spatula, spread the chocolate to fill the rectangle. Sprinkle with ¼ cup of the crushed peppermints. Chill until set, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine the bittersweet chocolate, cream, and peppermint extract in a heavy medium saucepan. Warm over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture is just melted and smooth. Cool to barely lukewarm, about 5 minutes. Then remove the baking sheet from the refrigerator, and pour the bittersweet chocolate mixture over the white chocolate rectangle. Using an icing spatula – make sure you cleaned it after using it for the white chocolate, above! – spread the bittersweet chocolate in an even layer. Chill until very cold and firm, about 25 minutes.
• Rewarm the remaining white chocolate until just melted. Working quickly, pour the white chocolate over the firm bittersweet layer with icing or rubber spatula to spread it to cover. Sprinkle with remaining crushed peppermints. Chill just until firm, about 20 minutes.

*posted by: michelle142*

Swedish Jam Squares

Submitted by: wamozart12

Difficulty Rating: Easy

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 package yellow cake mix
• 1 stick (1/2cup) softened butter
• 1 extra large or jumbo egg
• Jam of desired flavor

ICING:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1T milk
• 1t vanilla or almond extract

DIRECTIONS:

• Combine cake mix, butter and egg, mix until combined. Press into the bottom of a greased 9x13 baking pan. Spread jelly in a thin layer over dough. Bake 25-30 min (until edges are lightly browned) at 325.
• Let squares cool. Make icing: combine powdered sugar, milk and flavoring, drizzle over jam squares. Allow icing to set, then cut into squares.

*posted by: michelle142*

Jello Spritz Cookies

Submitted by: wamozart12
Difficulty Rating: Medium
 
For use with a cookie press
 
INGREDIENTS:

• 4 cups flour
• 1 t baking powder
• 1 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 (3 oz.) pkg. Jello
• 1 egg
• 1 t vanilla

DIRECTIONS:

• Sift flour and baking powder together. Cream in butter. Gradually add sugar and Jello. Beat in egg and vanilla and then mix all until smooth. Load dough into cookie press with desired shape, spritz onto cookie sheets. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 to 14 minutes, until bottom starts to brown.

*These cookies are fun to coordinate shapes with jello flavor/color- green trees, red hearts, etc.

*posted by: michelle142*

Spice Cookies

Submitted by: wamozart12

Difficulty Rating: Medium (because of all the ingredients)
 
Adapted from Camilla Saulsbury's Exotic Spice Cookies recipe
 
INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped crystallized ginger
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/4 cup vegetable shortening, room temperature
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon rosewater
• 3/4 cup turbinado (raw) sugar or colored sanding sugar, for rolling

 
DIRECTIONS:

• Whisk the flour, ground ginger, baking soda, cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, pepper and salt in a medium bowl until blended. Mix in the crystallized ginger. Set aside momentarily.
• In a large bowl beat the brown sugar, butter and shortening with an electric mixer until fluffy (do not overbeat-it will add too much air). Add the egg, honey and rosewater and beat until blended. Stir in the flour mixture, mixing until just until blended. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Roll dough into 1 1/4-inch balls; roll in sugar to coat completely. Place balls on cookie sheets, spacing 2 to 3 inches apart.
• Bake cookies until cracked on top but still soft to touch, about 11 to 13 minutes. Cool on wire racks. 

 
*posted by: michelle142*

OATMEAL CRANBERRY WHITE CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIES

Submitted by: Mrs. Zee

Difficulty Rating: Easy

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 6-ounce package Ocean Spray® Craisins® Original Dried Cranberries
• 2/3 cup white chocolate chunks or chips

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375ºF.
• Using an electric mixer, beat butter or margarine and sugar together in a medium mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, mixing well. Combine oats, flour, baking soda and salt in a separate mixing bowl. Add to butter mixture in several additions, mixing well after each addition. Stir in dried cranberries and white chocolate chunks.
• Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack.

Makes approximately 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

*posted by: michelle142*

Gingerbread Cookies

Submitted by: billyandsara

Prep time: 30-40mins
Cook time: about 10 mins
Level: Easy just the prep is long and requires a lot of ingredients.
Preheat oven to 350F

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 Sticks of lightly salted butter, softened
• 1 2/3 cups of sugar
• 1 orange zested
• 4 cups of all purpose flour, plus I put some to the side for when I am rolling if needed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1 tablespoon of ground dry ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
• 1/2 of ground all spice
• 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 2 Eggs
• 1/2 of molasses (dark)
• 1 lemon juiced 

Directions:

• In a bowl mix your butter, sugar and orange zest with a hand mixer until it is smooth, about 5 mins.
• In a seperate bowl mix, flour (sifted), baking powder, baking soda, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, cloves and salt, mix together and set aside.
• In a third bowl mix together you eggs, molasses and lemon juice.
• Once you have the butter mixture smooth lower your speed and start to add your dry ingrediants, once you have the dry ingrediants in start mixing in you bowl with the eggs. I fins that this works best with a stand mixer and I use my paddle attachment.
• Once you have your dough mixed take it out of the bowl and break into two pieces, press each piece between two pieces of wax paper and chill for 15-20 mins.
• After you chill your dough you must flour your surface and start rolling. I sometimes find it easier to roll it when it is still i nthe wax paper but that is up to you. Once you have the thickness you want then press your cookcutter into them and place them on your cookie sheet. *note make sure you leave a little room they can spread out.
• Bake until golden brown about 10 mins

*posted by: michelle142*

Big Soft Ginger Cookies

Submitted by: Eli845

Difficulty Rating: Easy

From www.allrecipes.com

Original Recipe Yield 2 dozen  

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup margarine or butter, softened

1 cup white sugar

1 egg

1 tablespoon water

1/4 cup molasses

2 tablespoons white sugar

 

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Sift together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Set aside.

 

In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then stir in the water and molasses. Gradually stir the sifted ingredients into the molasses mixture.

 

Shape dough into walnut sized balls, and roll them in the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar. Place the cookies 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet, and flatten slightly.

 

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

 

*posted by: michelle142*

THE Gooey Butter Cookies

Submitted by: lneuner09

Difficulty Rating: Moderate (only b/c they are time consuming)

Ingredients:

• 8 oz cream cheeese, softened 
• 1 stick butter, softened 
• 1 egg 
• 1 tbsp vanilla 
• 1 box yellow cake mix 
• 8 oz powdered sugar
  

Directions:

• Cream together cream cheese, butter, egg, and vanilla in stand mixer.*  Slowly add cake mix and blend well. Batter will the THICK. Chill for 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350.  Put powedered sugar in a small bowl. Coat hands in powdered sugar (trust me). Take a rounded tablespoon of dough and knead in powdered sugar. Once kneaded, give dough one last roll in powdered sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet (I line with parchment paper).  Bake for 13-14 minutes. Refrigerate dough in between batches in the oven. Makes 3 dozen cookies.

* This can be done with a hand mixer, I'm sure. But I've busted 2 hand mixers with this recipe, I don't recommend it. Even the Kitchenaid had trouble with it.  The batter gets super thick and sticky, and has a way of ruining hand mixers. Just a heads up.

*posted by: michelle142*

Kitchen Sink Cookies

Submitted by: lneuner09

Difficulty Rating: Easy

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup butter, softened
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 and 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
• 1 and 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 6 oz package of craisins
• 2/3 cup white chocolate chips
• 2/3 cup macadamia nuts, chopped

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375.
• Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar togather until creamy.  Add eggs, mix well. 
• Combine flour, oats, baking soda and salt.  Add to creamed mixture in additions, stirring well after each addition. 
• Stir in craisins, white chocolate, and nuts.  (Note, a spoon won't cut it, you'll need to get your hands in there).  Refridgerate for 30 minutes to make the batter easier to handle. 
• Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased cookie sheets (I lined with parchment paper)  Bake 8-10 minutes or until golden.  Cool on wire rack. Refridgerate batter in between batches in the oven. Makes 4 dozen cookies.

*posted by: michelle142*

Walnut Cups

Submitted by: Rach83

Difficulty Rating: Hard
 
Baking time: 20 min.

*For this recipe you will need mini cupcake tins

Crust Ingredients:

• 1 stick of margarine/butter
• 3 oz. cream cheese
• 1 c flour

Filling Ingredients:

• 1 egg slightly beaten
• 1/4 tsp vanilla
• 1 TB melted butter
• 3/4 c brown sugar
• 3/4 c chopped walnuts

Crust Directions:

• Mix softened cream cheese and butter. Add flour a little at a time. Pinch off small pieces, enough to fill the mini tins and shape with your thumb until you form a cup.

Filling ingredients:

• Mix all ingredients together and fill the dough cups you just made about halfway. Bake at 350 for about 20 min or until crust is golden. Cool for 2-3 min. before taking out of pan.

*posted by: michelle142*

Chocolate Crinkles

Submitted by: Rach83

Difficulty Rating: Moderate

Baking time: 10-12 minutes

 
Ingredients:

• 2 c sugar
• 3/4 c vegetable oil
• 3/4 c cocoa
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 1/2 c flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• confectioners sugar

Directions:

• Combine sugar & oil in large bowl, add cocoa and blend well. Mix in eggs, vanilla, flour and salt. Cover and chill for approximately 3 hours (or you can chill overnight and continue baking the next day). Shape into 2 inch balls and roll in confectioners sugar. Place about 3 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet. Bake about 10-12 min at 350.

 *posted by: michelle142*

Coconut Macaroons

Submitted by: steeser03

There are two different recipes, each varies in difficulty.

***

Difficulty Rating: Moderate

Yields 22-25 cookies

 

Ingredients:

• 2 egg whites
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• dash of salt
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 1/3 cup flaked coconut

Directions:

• Grease cookie sheet. Beat egg white, vanilla and salt until soft peaks form. Slowly add sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Fold in coconut gently. Drop by teaspoonful onto cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove from sheet immediately and transfer to foil (sprayed with Pam) or wax paper.

 

***

Difficulty Rating: Easy

Yields 24 cookies.

 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 2 cups flake coconut
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

 

Directions:

• Combine all ingredients, mix well. Drop by spoonful on greased cookie sheet one inch apart. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until delicate brown. Remove from pan immediately and place on wax paper.

 

*posted by: michelle142*

Easy Velvety Chocolate Truffles

Submitted by: amelianguy

Difficulty rating: Easy
 
Ingredients:

• 2 squares (1 oz. each) unsweetened baking chocolate
• 1 package (12 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 container (8 oz.) of Cool Whip, thawed and divided
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• Assorted coatings

Directions:

• Coarsely chop chocolate squares. Place chopped chocolate, chocolate chips,and 1/2 whipped topping in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave, uncovered on high for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, until chocolate is melted and smooth, stirring at 20 second intervals. After chocolate is all melted, fold in vanilla and rest of whipped topping.
• Spread mixture onto a cutting board. Refrigerate 30 minutes, or until firm enough to scoop. Do not let it get too firm, or coating will not adhere will to truffles. Using a large spoon, scoop mixture and roll into small balls with your hands.
• Place truffles onto plates with various coatings. Suggested coatings are unsweetened cocoa powder (you can drizzle these with a little dark chocolate to make them pretty), toasted chopped almonds, chocolate shavings, toasted coconut, sprinkles, crushed candy canes.

*posted by: michelle142*

Pecan Pie Cookies

Submitted by: Diamond_Doll

Difficulty: Moderate, but can be made easily by using store bought cookie dough instead of making it from scratch (just add some brown sugar).

Cookie Ingredients:

• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

Filling Ingredients:

• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

• Combine all cookie ingredients except flour and baking powder in large bowl. Beat at medium speed until creamy. Reduce speed to low; add flour and baking powder. Beat until well mixed. Roll dough into balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Make indentation in each cookie with your thumb.
• Combine all filling ingredients in small bowl; fill each cookie with 1 rounded teaspoon filling. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes at 350 degrees or until lightly browned. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets.

*posted by michelle142*

Oreo Truffles

Submitted by: Diamond_Doll

Difficulty Rating: Easy

Ingredients:

• 1 pkg. Oreos, finely crushed
• 8oz cream cheese, softened
• 2 pkg. semi-sweet chocolate, melted

Directions:

• Mix cookie crumbs and the cream cheese until well blended. Roll mixture into approximately 40 balls. Dip balls in melted chocolate and place on waxed paper-covered baking sheet. Decorate by sprinkling extra cookie crumbs or drizzling white chocolate.

*posted by michelle142*

Recipe Exchange #2!!

It's time for our 2nd recipe exchange! We had such a great turn-out for the Thanksgiving recipes, I can't wait to see what we get from this one.

This weeks theme: COOKIES

Christmas cookies, favorite cookies.... heck, any cookies!!

*NEW FOR THIS EXCHANGE* When you send in your recipe, please include a difficulty rating (Easy, Moderate, Difficult). This should help you decide if you'd like to try out the recipe or not.

I will post recipes as they come to me, each recipe will get their own blog post. You can sumbit as many as you'd like and pictures are a big plus if you have them.

Please send your recipes to: ninerrecipeexchange@gmail.com Please include your Nest screen name when you sumbit your recipe!!
 
The next exchange will be held in 2 weeks.

*posted by michelle142*