cookies – Papas Cutting Board

Lemony Snowball Cookies

Now and then, I will browse a vintage cookbook, find a treat to bake to ‘test’ for the holiday trays. This recipe mentioned a variety of different flavors to try with the main recipe. I decided the lemon sounded like a fun add on to the trays of cookies. I like to add a variety of flavors, and using lemon drops caught my eye. These are yummy, and now have a couple notes next to the recipe for my holiday baking.

If you decide to make these, the dough is deceiving. You will think there is no way you can make cookie balls out of these grains of dough. You can. The heat of your hands causes these cookies to shape the way you need them to. I froze a batch of these, because I like to pull them out of the freezer during Easter and see how they taste. That gives me an idea of when to start baking, and freezing these before Christmas.

This recipe is from the Betty Crocker’s best Christmas Cookbook, published in 1999.

I have added a note page to the front inside of this book listing all the recipes I want to create. There are many.

White chocolate, Peanut, and Caramel Candy cookies

Southern Living 2010 Ultimate Christmas cookbook

Jim asked for more of the Brie bites, which I’ve been making this past week by having fun with brie cheese, and a variety of marmalade’s

With the extra Brie cheese, I cut a few wedges and put on cookie sheet near cups. Mixed a bit of pear marmalade with white wine; heated in microwave and poured on top of cheese wedges. Added crushed walnuts on top of wine/pear/cheese wedge. Served with fire roasted Triscuit crackers which was a delicious combo

Southern Living is as always loaded with beautiful photos with fun ideas for decorating – some of the recipes seem to be very involved, but there are many that are appealing enough to want to invest the time.

Today, I made the White chocolate, Peanut, and Caramel Candy cookies on page 117. These took some time but they are chewy and delicious. I froze half the dough balls for later baking. Jim is enjoying them and eating as many as I leave out in sight – that is a compliment because he is so so on cookies. I used Rolos, and believe you can use other candy like snickers, etc.

This is a great way to use up leftover Halloween Candy. Yes, I will make these again. I’m now looking at the White chocolate-dipped oatmeal cranberry cookies on page 148.

Peppermint Cookie Bars

I got my peppermint fix for the holidays! YUM! 2019 Hoffman Holiday Baking magazine. These will be festive on the platters. This made a lot of glaze; the rest of the glaze is in the fridge tempting me to create something else. I also chopped up some Andes peppermint candy to sprinkle over the top of the crushed soft peppermints. I’ll include a photo of the chopped Andes peppermint candy to give you a visual of what I mentioned.

Vermont Maple Cookies

Vermont Maple Cookies

20 minutes – makes 5 dozen

1 cup butter – softened

¾ cup of sugar

¾ cup packed brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp maple flavoring

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 cups white baking chips

1 cup chopped pecans

Maple Glaze

½ cup butter, cubed

1 ¾ cups confectioners’ sugar

1/3 cup maple syrup

¼ tsp maple flavoring

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and maple flavoring. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat in to creamed mixture. Stir in baking chips and pecans. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on pans 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

For glaze, in a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Remove from heat. Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar, maple syrup and maple flavoring until smooth. Drizzle over cookies, let dry completely. Store between pieces of waxed paper in airtight containers.

Tip from my kitchen: On a mat – these baked in 12 minutes; on parchment paper – I left them in another 3 to get a darker brown. This makes a lot – I froze half the batter, in balls, for adding to cookie gift trays. I stored the maple glaze in a jar in the fridge, and used some of it on the pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, and maple biscotti. These are delicious. I’ll also share a photo of how different the glaze can look based on the manufacturer. The Kroger extract was clear, making the glaze almost white. The Meijer extract was a dark brown, making the glaze more brown.

These are delicious.

I found this recipe in a Taste of Home baking magazine.

Pumpkin Raisin Doodles

I shared these last year from a 2015 Better Homes and Garden baking magazine. I had a request for them today, so I’m sharing them again.

Tip: I baked for 15 minutes. These can stick to the cooking mat if they are not well coated in the sugar/spice mixture. I moved immediately to wire racks as these held their shape as soon as I pulled them out of the oven.

Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies

I freeze half this batch for later baking; I drizzle white chocolate baking discs so that I do not need to use the shortening for the top chocolate – which just makes these amazing. Delicious!

I make these every few months to restock the freezer.

Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies

These are delicious with or without the glaze –

1 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1/3 cup cranberry juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups dried cranberries

2 cups vanilla or white chips

Glaze: 2 cups vanilla or white chips 2 tablespoons plus 1 1/2 teaspoons shortening

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, cranberry juice and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Fold in cranberries and vanilla chips. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until edges begin to brown (mine baked for 14 minutes). Cool for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

For glaze, microwave the vanilla chips and shortening at 70% power until melted; stir until smooth. Drizzle over cookies.

Yield about 7 dozen

I used a medium cookie scoop and this made over 54 – Jim was eating them as I baked so I’m not sure how much over the 54 tally.

I froze half of the dough balls for later baking. These are cake like on the inside and slight crunch on the outside.

These were also delicious without the glaze. Delicious and I will make again

Taste of Home Holiday & Celebrations 2008

Peanut Butter Fudge Cookies

I make and take these to elderly friends right now along with recipe. 91 year old retired doctor told me he just made them and added Kahlúa to the Chocolate glaze. Love this!

Only 3 ingredients not counting the topping. Jim took a bite and said, “mmmm, fudge peanut butter” He could not believe there was not flour in these. These were very easy and quick to make

Peanut Butter Fudge Cookies

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 cup creamy peanut butter

Topping is optional: but yummy

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels, melted

2 Tbsp peanuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350F. Combine sugar and egg. Add peanut butter; mix until blended.

Scoop cookies into cookie press or using cookie scoop – shape in to balls. (I have done both, and prefer the scoop to ball method. I waste too much in the press)

Add to baking stone or cookie sheet, 1 inch apart.

Bake 15 minutes or longer depending on your area – until cookies are set and light golden brown. Remove from oven; cool 2 minutes on cookie sheet. Remove to cooling rack; cool completely.

Place chocolate morsels in small dish in microwave, uncovered, heat on high 1 minute or until chocolate is melted and smooth, stirring after each 20 second interval.

Drizzle chocolate over cookies; sprinkle with

peanuts. Let stand until chocolate is set

Yield: 3 dozen cookies

Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies

1 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1/3 cup cranberry juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups dried cranberries

2 cups vanilla or white chips

Glaze:

2 cups vanilla or white chips

2 tablespoons plus 1 1/2 teaspoons shortening

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until edges begin to brown (mine baked for 14 minutes). Cool for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

For glaze, microwave the vanilla chips and shortening at 70% power until melted; stir until smooth. Drizzle over cookies.

Yield about 7 dozen

I used a medium cookie scoop and this made over 54 – Jim was eating them as I baked so I’m not sure how much over the 54 tally. I froze half of the dough balls for later baking.

These are cake like on the inside and slight crunch on the outside. These were also delicious without the glaze.

Delicious and I will make again

Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/3 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1 large egg

1/2 cup mashed ripe banana

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp baking soda

1 cup (6 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips

1. In a small bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, banana and vanilla.Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips.2. Drop by tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 for 9-11 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.These freeze well. I increased the baking time to 15 minutes from the freezer.The recipe says this makes 3 dozen.I used a regular cookie scoop (which makes the cookies a bit larger) and made 25 cookies. I then made this again using a smaller cookie scoop, and it made about 32 which I will freeze for another dessert I have planned this week.