APPLE OATMEAL COOKIES

1 package (18-1/4 ounces) yellow cake mix
1 and 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 cup finely chopped peeled apple
1/2 cup raisins

In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, oats, brown sugar and cinnamon. In a small bowl, combine the applesauce, apple and raisins. Stir into oats mixture and mix well.
Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls 2 in. apart onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 deg. for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool. Yield: about 5 dozen.
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LEMON CHEWY COOKIES
(my original recipe)

1 cup butter, softened but not melted
2 cups sugar
2 medium eggs
1 Tbsp. lemon extract
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/8 cup buttermilk
2 cups unsifted all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
powdered sugar for rolling cookies

By hand, cream butter and sugar in large mixing bowl. Add eggs, lemon extract, lemon juice,and buttermilk; blend well.
In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt; blend into creamed mixture. Don't over-stir.
Roll into walnut-sized balls and then roll in the powdered sugar. Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. Do not over-bake. Remove from oven and cool on wire rack.

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SPICED MANDARIN ORANGE CREAM CHEESE COOKIES
(My original recipe)

1/2 cup butter
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1/4 cup Orange liqueur
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon ground Ginger
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
2 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 (15 ounce) can of Mandarin oranges, chopped and well drained
1 cup of Walnut pieces

Cream together the butter, cream cheese, both sugars, the orange liqueur, and the egg in a large mixing bowl.
In a separate bowl, sift together the salt, baking soda, baking powder, and flour. To this dry mix, add the Ginger and Cinnamon.
Gradually blend the dry mixture into the creamed mixture. Fold in the Mandarin oranges and the walnut pieces.
Drop by teaspoons onto parchment lined cookie sheets. Do not crowd them.
Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 15 to 18 minutes.
Remove cookies to rack for cooling.  Makes 3 dozen large cookies.
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SAND DOLLARS

2 sticks softened butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 cups flour
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt

Beat the powdered sugar and butter until creamy. Mix in the flour, half cup at a time. Stir in vanilla and salt. Mix well. Shape into small balls. With fingers, press one side into granulated sugar until about 1/4 inch thick. Bake them with the sugar side up on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. They need to be just slightly brown on edges.
My 3 grandchildren love helping me make these cookies.
The cookies can be pressed into colored sugar for a 'fancy' look.
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COW PATTY COOKIES

2 cups sugar
5 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 cups quick cooking oats
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup milk

Cover baking sheets with wax paper and set aside. Combine sugar and cocoa in a large saucepan. Stir in milk, butter and peanut butter. Cook and stir over medium heat until butter melts and mixture is combined, about 5-20 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in the vanilla, oats and nuts, and mix thoroughly.
Drop by teaspoonful onto the waxed paper-covered baking sheet. Place in the refrigerator until the cookies are cooled and set. Store the cookies in an airtight container.
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BROWN SUGAR COOKIES

14 tablespoons unsalted butter - the real stuff, not margarine
1 and 3/4 cups packed dark brown sugar
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour plus 2 tablespoons
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup red sugar crystals
1/4 cup green sugar crystals

Heat 10 tablespoons of the butter in a pan over medium-high heat until melted. Continue to cook the butter until it is browned a dark golden color and smells nutty, about 1 to 3 minutes.
Transfer the browned butter to a bowl and stir the rest of the butter into the hot butter until it melts- let this rest for 15 min.
Mix flour, baking soda, and baking powder in a bowl.
Add the 1 and 3/4 cup brown sugar and salt to cooled butter and mix until there are no lumps. Add egg, yolk, and vanilla to butter mixture and mix well, then add flour and mix until just combined.
Place the 1/4 cup red sugar crystals and the 1/4 cup green sugar crystals in separate dishes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Roll dough into balls about 1 and 1/2 inches in diameter. Then roll one dozen in the red sugar crystals and one dozen in the green sugar crystals. Place balls about 2-inches apart on parchment lined baking sheets.
Bake sheets one at a time until cookies are puffy and lightly browned, about 12- 14 minutes. (The cookies will look slightly raw between some of the cracks and seem underdone, but be careful not to over bake.)
Cool on sheet for about 5 minutes and then transfer to a rack to cool. (Makes 2 dozen cookies)
NOTE: I won the sugar cookie division in a cookie baking contest with this recipe
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JIVIN' JAVA CHOCOLATE COOKIES
(My original recipe)

1 cup real butter - room temperature
1 and 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed tightly
1 cup white granulated sugar
4 Tbsp. cocoa powder

5 Tbsp. instant coffee granules
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sea salt
3 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup chopped pecans - optional
 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. 

In a large mixing bowl cream butter and both sugars.  Mix in the cocoa powder and coffee granules until well blended.  Blend in the eggs, baking soda, and salt.   Mix well.  Blend in the flour (one cup at a time).  Stir in the pecans, if desired. 

Shape into 36 equal sized balls of dough. 

Place the cookies on a large parchment lined cookie sheet about 4 inches apart.

Bake for 10-12 minutes until you can still see it is doughy in the center but browning around the edge.

Resist the urge to bake for longer as you will over bake it and lose that gooey center.

Remove from oven and slide the parchment with cookies off onto a clean towel, sheet, etc.

DON'T let the cookies sit on the hot cookie sheet....they will keep baking!!

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CHEWY CHOCOLATE COOKIES

1 and 1/4 cups butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups unsifted all purpose flour
3/4 cup Hershey's cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup finely chopped nuts

Cream butter and sugar in large mixing bowl. Add eggs and vanilla, blend well. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; blend into creamed mixture. Stir in nuts. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 9 minutes. (Do not over-bake.
Cookies will be soft. They will puff during baking, and flatten upon cooling). Cool on cookie sheet until set, about 1 minute; Remove to wire rack to cool completely.
Makes about 4 1/2 dozen.
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CHEWY OATMEAL COOKIES

3/4 cup butter, softened
1 and 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1 and 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 cups oats--rolled or old fashioned  
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup raisins*
1 cup walnuts-chopped

Lightly grease a cookie sheet. Combine butter, brown sugar, egg, milk, and vanilla; beat with mixer on high speed to blend well. Combine oats, flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Add to butter mixture; stir until just blended. Stir in raisins and walnuts.
Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto cookie sheet, 2 inches apart.
Bake at 375 deg. for 10-13 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool 5 min. on baking sheet and remove to wire cake rack.
*can replace raisins with semi-sweet chocolate chips, or use both.
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MAWMAW'S PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg
1/2 cup peanut butter (I use crunchy style)
1 and 1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda

Mix all ingredients. Blend well. Shape into small balls. Place on greased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Press down with a fork. Bake in pre-heated oven at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. Cool on wire rack.
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MAWMAW'S TEA CAKES

3 cups sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup shortening
2 tsp. baking powder  
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
3 tsp. vanilla extract
-or-
2 tsp. lemon extract if you like lemon flavor

Mix all ingredients together. Add enough flour to get desired consistency ( about 3 or 4 cups ). Roll out on floured board. Cut with cookie cutter, and place on a greased cookie sheet. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 375 degrees, until lightly browned.
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SNICKERDOODLE COOKIES

1/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
1 and 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
2 and 3/4 cups flour
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix the 1/4 cup of sugar and the cinnamon together and set aside.
Mix the 1 and 1/2 c. sugar, butter, shortening, and eggs. Add the flour, cream of tartar, salt, and baking soda. Mix well. Chill dough. Roll dough into balls the size of walnuts. Roll cookies in the sugar-cinnamon mixture.
Bake for 8-10 mins., cool completely on wire racks.
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PECAN SAND TARTS

1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup powdered sugar
1 and 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup pecans, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In large bowl, with mixer on medium speed, beat butter, both extracts, and 1/2 cup sugar until smooth (occasionally scrape the side of the bowl with rubber spatula).
Reduce speed to low and gradually beat in flour just until blended, occasionally scraping bowl. With spoon, stir in pecans.
Roll dough into 1-inch balls; roll out to 3-inch logs. Shape into crescents, and place on ungreased baking sheets.  Bake at 350 deg. for 12 to 14 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely on wire racks. Dredge cookies in remaining powdered sugar.
Store cookies in tightly sealed container, with waxed paper between layers, at room temperature, up to 2 weeks or in freezer up to 3 months.  Makes 3 dozen.
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TOASTED PECAN CREAM CHEESE COOKIES
(My original recipe)

2 cups pecans
2 tablespoons of butter
1 and 1/2 cups sugar
1 egg
2 sticks of butter, very soft
4 oz. cream cheese, very soft
1 tablespoon milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 and 1/4 cups flour
1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Chop your pecans. Melt the 2 tablespoons of butter in a microwave safe dish in your microwave or in a small saucepan on stove top.
Evenly coat the pecans in the melted butter. Spread the butter-coated pecans onto a non-stick 9 x 13 inch cookie sheet in a single layer. Put the cookie sheet in the oven. Watch the pecans closely while they toast, tossing the pecans once or twice to allow for even toasting. Toast the pecans for 10 minutes. Take out of oven and let them cool.
In large mixing bowl, combine sugar, egg, butter, cream cheese, and milk. Stir until very creamy. Stir in salt and vanilla extract. Mix well. Gradually sift in flour and baking powder. Mix well and then stir in the toasted pecans. Drop batter by the heaping teaspoonful onto a greased cookie sheet about 1 inch apart.
Bake at 350 degrees until edges of cookies are brown, about 12 to 14 minutes.
Makes 4 dozen small cookies.
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BROWN BUTTER OATMEAL COOKIES
(My original recipe)

1 cup unsalted butter, in pieces
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 Tbsp. dark karo syrup
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cup all-purpose flour
2 cup quick-cooking oats
1 and 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt

Heat a thick-bottomed skillet on medium heat. Add the sliced butter, whisking frequently. Continue to cook the butter. Once melted the butter will foam up a bit, then subside. Watch carefully as lightly browned specks begin to form at the bottom of the pan. Smell the butter; it should have a nutty aroma. Remove from heat and place on a cool surface to help stop the butter from cooking more and burning.   
Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar to the melted butter. Blend well until cooled. Stir in the eggs, Karo syrup, and vanilla; Mix well.
Combine the flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; gradually add to butter mixture and mix well.
Drop by tablespoonfuls onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 9 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned.  Makes 3 dozen.
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