Lemon Crinkle Cookies Monday, Mar 11 2013

There’s a recipe that I’ve seen going around Pinterest for a while, Lemon Crinkle Cookies, and while they look so good, they are so full of sugar that I could never bring myself to make them!! I decided to try a healthier version of them, and it worked! We all love them, and it’s such a nice variety to the typical oatmeal-chocolate-chip cookies that are popular around here. 🙂

So, I reduced the sugar significantly, and used whole grain spelt flour (wheat would work too), and my husband still thought they were really sweet. 🙂  We all loved them for sure.

 

Lemon Crinkle Cookies

½ cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
½ tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 tsp lemon zest
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cup wheat/spelt flour
1/3 cup powdered sugar

In a bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add in vanilla, egg, lemon zest, and juice. Scrape sides and mix again. Stir in all dry ingredients, except powdered sugar, slowly until just combined. Scrape sides of bowl and mix again briefly.

Pour powdered sugar onto a large plate. Roll a heaping teaspoon of dough into a ball and roll in powdered sugar. I then shook each ball briefly in my fingers to shake off extra powdered sugar. Place on greased baking sheet and repeat with remaining dough.

Bake for 9-11 minutes, or until bottoms begin to barely brown. Remove from oven and cool cookies about 3 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

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Peanut Butter Cookies Friday, Dec 7 2012

 

My Aussie friend gave me this recipe. They are melt-in-your-mouth peanut butter cookies. 🙂  They tend to crumble easily (esp after the first day), but they taste so good so I keep making them! 🙂

Peanut Butter Cookies

1/2 cup butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup peanut butter
1 egg
1 1/4 cup flour (I’ve used wheat/spelt)
1 tsp baking soda

Cream butter, vanilla, sugars, peanut butter, and egg. Add in flour and baking soda, and mix. Roll into small balls, place on greased cookie sheet, and press cookies down slightly with a fork, first crosswise and then lengthwise for a crinkled effect. Bake 15 minutes at 350F.

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Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies Monday, Aug 13 2012

These cookies are from my cousin’s cookbook. I decided to give them a try, since I still have pumpkin left that I canned last fall. The texture of these cookies are almost like a muffin, and quite yummy! They’re different than other types of pumpkin cookies I’ve tried, and I like that! 🙂

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup pureed pumpkin
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil
1 egg
2 cups flour (I used: 1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour, and 1/2 cup white flour)
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup nuts, optional

Mix dry ingredients. Mix wet ingredients. Combine. Scoop unto greased cookie sheets. Bake at 375F for 10-12 minutes.

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Cranberry Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies Wednesday, May 9 2012

We were recently on a trip for 18 days. Towards the end of the trip, I was getting pretty antsy to get back into my kitchen! I think I’m addicted to cooking and baking, is that bad? 🙂  My birthday was right when we returned and I had no time or energy to make a cake. I still craved a homemade sweet though, and really wanted cranberries and chocolate, and these cookies were the result! Yum! I’ll be making these again! I thought there would be some left for potluck on Sunday… but I doubt it. 😉 They are loaded, with yummy-ness!

Cranberry Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

(Makes 3 dozen small cookies)

1 cup butter/margarine
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup shredded coconut
1 1/2 cups oatmeal
1 1/2 cup wheat or white flour (I used 1 3/4 cups of spelt)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup dried cranberries
3/4 cup chocolate chips

Cream together butter, brown sugar, and eggs. Mix together dry ingredients, and add in to the butter mixture. Finally, stir in cranberries and chocolate chip. Scoop unto greased cookie sheets, bake 12 minutes at 350F!

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Molasses Crinkles Wednesday, Apr 18 2012

My son has been low in iron, so I decided to molasses cookies were a must! Wouldn’t you know…. my husband and I ate most of them. 😉  Yum!

This recipe is from Sensible Cooking, a cookbook that came with my Bosch mixer.

Molasses Crinkles

1/2 cup oil
3/4 cup brown sugar*
1/4 cup molasses*
1 egg
1 cup white flour (I did all wheat)
1 cup wheat flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cloves
Sugar, for dipping cookies

Mix oil, sugar, molasses, and egg until fluffy. Add flour, salt, soda, cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Mix well. Shape into 1″ balls (if too sticky, chill dough first). Dip tops in sugar. Place sugar side up on a nonstick baking sheet. Bake at 350F for 10-12 minutes until set but not hard.

Tip: Sprinkle top of cookie with 3 drops of water to get a crackled effect!

*I decreased the brown sugar to 1/3 cup, and increased the molasses to 1/2 cup. I used blackstrap molasses, which made the cookies high in iron, but almost non-sweet. If using blackstrap, I’d recommend following the recipe a bit better. 🙂

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Christmas Thumbprint Cookies Monday, Dec 19 2011

My friend and I made these for a Christmas baking exchange I hosted at the end of November. Aren’t they pretty and festive?!

This recipe is from the Christmas Cookies magazine by Better Homes and Garden, with a few slight changes in the thumbprint ideas below the recipe. These are fun to make with children!

Christmas Thumbprint Cookies

2/3 cups butter, softened (I used stick margarine)
1/2 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour

In a large bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar. Beat until combined, scraping bowl occasionally. Bet in egg yolks and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour. Cover and chill for about 1 hour or until dough is easy to handle.

Preheat oven to 375F. Grease cookie sheets. Shape dough into 1″ balls. Roll balls in whatever “topping” you desire (see below for suggestions). Using your thumb, make an indentation in each dough ball.

Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until bottoms are light brown. If cookie centers puff during baking, re-press centers with the rounded side of a measuring teaspoon. Transfer to a wire rack; cool completely. Just before serving, fill centers with your choice (see below for ideas).

Thumbprint Ideas

Festive Thumbprint (first picture above):
Roll balls in coarse red, green or any other type of sugar. Bake as directed, on un-greased cookie sheets. You can fill the indentation with icing!
Optional: reduce vanilla to 1/2 tsp, and add 1/2 tsp mint extract.

Candy Cane Thumbprint (second picture above):
Roll balls in crushed candy canes. Bake as directed, on un-greased cookie sheets. You can fill the indentation with icing!
Optional: reduce vanilla to 1/2 tsp, and add 1/2 tsp mint extract.

Choco-Loco Thumbprint:
Reduce flour to 1 1/4 cups. Add 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder with flour. Roll balls in 2 lightly beaten egg whites and then in 1 cup chocolate-flavor sprinkles. Bake as directed. Immediately after removing cookies from oven, press a Hershey kiss milk chocolate with caramel into each indentation.

Peanut Butter and Jam Thumbprint:
Roll balls in 2 lightly beaten egg whites and then in 1 cup finely chopped peanuts. Bake as directed. Cool. Spoon 1/2 tsp creamy peanut butter into each thumbprint indentation. Top the peanut butter in each indentation with about 1/2 tsp grape or strawberry jelly.

Linzer Thumbprint:
Bake cookies as directed, cool. Place 2/3 cup powdered sugar in a large plastic bag. Add cooled cookies; shake to coat. Remove cookies from bag, shaking off excess powdered sugar. Fill each thumbprint with about 1/2 tsp raspberry jam. Top jam with toasted sliced almonds.

Lemon-Coconut Thumbprint:
Add 1 tsp finely shredded lemon, lime, or orange peel to dough. Roll dough balls in 2 lightly beaten egg whites and then in cup toasted shredded coconut. Bake as directed. Fill each indentation with 1/2 tsp lemon curd or lime curd.

Almond-Cherry Thumbprint:
Reduce vanilla to 1/2 tsp, and add 1/2 tsp almond extract. Roll balls in 2 lightly beaten egg whites and then in 1 cup finely chopped slivered almonds. Bake as directed, cool. Fill each indentation with a heaping teaspoon of cherry pie filling, place a pie-filling cherry on each cookie.

Shared at Secret Recipe Club’s cookie party!

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Peanut Butter Mocha Checkerboards Wednesday, Dec 14 2011

You might be wondering why these are called Checkerboard… but are layered? Well, because I misread the instructions so my cookies ended up layered instead of checkered like this:

(Picture credit: Better Homes and Garden)

Nonetheless, these are oh, so good!! I really love the combinaison of peanut butter and mocha in a shortbread-like cookie! Simple, and flavourful. A great addition to a Christmas platter!

This recipe is from the Christmas Cookies magazine by Better Homes and Gardens, and also available online here.

Peanut Butter and Mocha Checkerboards

1/2 cup butter, softened (I used stick margarine)
2 Tbsp shortening
2 Tbsp creamy peanut butter
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg
2 Tbsp freshly brewed strong coffee, cooled
1 tsp instant espresso coffee powder
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups flour
2 oz semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled
1 egg white, lightly beaten
2 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped

In a large bowl combine butter, shortening, and peanut butter. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until combined. Add sugar. Beat until mixture is combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in the one egg, the coffee, espresso powder, vanilla, and salt until combined. Gradually beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour. Divide dough in half. Stir 2 ounces melted chocolate into one dough portion. Cover and chill both dough portions about 1 hour or until easy to handle.

Place each dough portion between two sheets of waxed paper. Roll each portion into a 5-inch square. Remove top layers of waxed paper. Brush the top of the chocolate dough with beaten egg white. Carefully invert peanut butter dough on top of the chocolate dough. Remove waxed paper. Trim edges to make a 4-1/2-inch square. Wrap dough in waxed paper or plastic wrap. Cover and freeze about 1 hour or until dough is easy to handle.

Cut dough square into six 4-1/2×3/4-inch strips. Working carefully, but quickly, lay one strip, cut side down, on a work surface and brush with egg white. Top with another strip, cut side down, so that the opposite colors/flavors meet; transfer the stack to a baking sheet or tray. Repeat with the remaining strips to make three stacks total. Cover and freeze about 30 minutes or until dough is firm enough to slice.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut each stack crosswise into about 1/4-inch slices. Place slices 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are firm and cookies are set. Transfer to a wire rack; cool completely.

6.In a small saucepan heat and stir 2 ounces chopped chocolate over low heat until chocolate is melted and smooth. Place melted chocolate in a resealable plastic bag. Snip a small hole in one corner of the bag. Squeeze the bag, piping bows or desired designs on cookie tops. Let stand until chocolate sets.

 

Shared at Secret Recipe Club’s cookie party!

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Chocolate-Mint Thins (Shortbread) Monday, Dec 12 2011

I made these cookies (brown/green) this year for the first time. They look so pretty on a platter of Christmas goodies, and how can you go wrong with mint and chocolate twisted together like that?! 🙂

This recipe is from the Christmas Cookies magazine by Better Homes and Garden.

Chocolate-Mint Thins

1 cup butter, softened (I used stick margarine)
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder or 1 oz semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled
1 tsp mint extract
Green food coloring

In a large bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar. Beat until combined, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour. Divide dough in half.

Add cocoa powder to one dough portion; stir until combined. Add mint extract and a few drops of green food coloring to the remaining dough portion; stir until combined. Divide each portion in half (two chocolate dough portions and two mint dough portions).

Shape each dough portion into a 9″ rope. Loosely twist together one rope of chocolate dough and one rope of mint dough. Gently roll ropes together to form a 9″ log; repeat with other two ropes (you will have two 9″ logs). Wrap each log in waxed paper or plastic wrap. Chill for about 1 hour of until dough is firm enough to slice.

Preheat oven to 350F. Cut logs unto 1/4″ slices. Place slices 2″ apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until edges are firm. Transfer to a wire rack, cool completely. Makes about 60 cookies.

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Double Chocolate Spelt Cookies Wednesday, Aug 17 2011

These delicious cookies can satisfy my cravings for chocolate for sure. It’s like eating a brownie, but it’s a cookie. Quick and easy to make, you’re sure to like them! Yum!

Double Chocolate Spelt Cookies

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cup spelt flour (or 1 1/2 cups wheat or white)
1/4 cup cocoa
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugars together. Add the egg and the vanilla. Mix together flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by spoonful on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350F for 12 minutes, or only until middle of the cookie is set.

Shared at Cast Party Wednesday!

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Tollhouse Cookies Wednesday, Jul 27 2011

Another yummy whole wheat cookie option! A combination of wheat, oatmeal, coconut and chocolate chips? Can’t go wrong with that!

Tollhouse Cookies

1 cup butter/margarine
1/2 cup honey
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups chocolate chips or raisins
1/2 cup of any nuts
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup oatmeal

Cream together butter and honey. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Sift together soda, salt, and flour and add to butter mixture. Fold in rest of ingredients. Drop by tablespoon onto greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Makes 2 1/2 – 3 dozen cookies.

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