A Winter Cookie Recipe

Author: Gabriella Gometra
When stuck in the house during the cold season, why not help your child make this easy and delicious recipe? This is a great way to bond and you can even select some festive tins in which you can take this treat to a Christmas party, Valentine's Day party or even give a couple to Grandma for a gift.

This easy recipe is called Glove and Mitten cookies. To make this delightful treat all that is needed is ½ cup sugar, ½ shortening, ½ cup molasses, 2 ½ cups of all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon ground cloves, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, 1 egg and some powdered sugar frosting.

Once you have gathered together all of the ingredients, you will start by beating the shortening in a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer on either high or medium speed for 30 seconds. Now you are going to add the cloves, cinnamon, baking soda, ginger, and sugar and beat this mixture until all the ingredients are well combined.

Next, beat in the egg and molasses until combined. Once that is complete, beat in as much flour that you can, using the mixer on medium speed. Make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl and then stir any left over flour using a wooden spoon. You are now ready to divide the dough into thirds. Once divided, cover and place in the refrigerator for 3 hours or until the dough is easier to handle. While the dough is chilling, trace your child's or children's hands onto cardboard or heavy paper to create the mitten and glove shapes. Make sure to even the shapes out and then cut them out. Set to the side for now.

After the dough has chilled, roll one-third of it onto a greased cookie sheet at a quarter inch thickness. Your rolling pin should be dusted in flour to prevent sticking. Place the glove and mitten patterns on the dough leaving a three-quarter inch distance between cookies. Cut along the patterns with a knife and remove any excess dough. By doing it this way, instead of rolling the dough on your counter and attempting to move the cut cookies to the sheet, the cookies will retain their shapes. Now bake the cookies at 375 for 8 to 10 minutes or until the cookies have set.  Allow the cookies to cool for two minutes. Once they have cooled for a few minutes move them to a rack and allow them to cool completely. Repeat until all the dough has been baked. Now you are ready to make the powdered sugar frosting and decorate.

To make the powdered sugar frosting you will need to stir together in a small mixing bowl 2 tablespoons of milk and 2 cups of sifted powdered sugar. Stir in the rest of the milk 1 teaspoon at a time until the icing is a smooth consistency. Now separate in several portions adding drops of food coloring. If you need a thicker frosting just add a little bit of powdered sugar. If using the hands of more than one child as patterns it is fun to keep their cookies straight by writing their names or initials in icing on their own cookies. This recipe will yield 18 cookies depending on pattern size. Make some cups of hot chocolate and the kids will have a treat perfect for when they come in from playing in the snow and cold.

5 Summertime No-Bake Cookie Recipes

Author: Shelly Hill
When it comes to making cookies in the Summertime, I prefer to use the stove-top method. Not only is the stove-top method quick and easy, but it saves on heating up your kitchen.

I find it best to line my countertop or tabletop, with some parchment paper. You will want to 'drop' your cookies onto the parchment paper or a non-stick baking mat, to let them cool. After they have cooled to room temperature, store them in an airtight container.

Here are 5 of my favorite no-baking involved cookie recipes.

Raisin No-Bakes

2 c. raisins
2 c. Chinese noodles
1/2 c. creamy peanut butter
1/4 c. honey

Mix raisins and Chinese noodles in bowl. Put peanut butter and honey in a small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until smooth and hot (no need to boil). Pour over raisin mixture, toss with a fork until evenly coated. Shape rounded spoonfuls into size of golf balls pressing gently with fingers. Let cool.

Chocolate Cracker Cookies

Round Crackers (like Ritz)
1 1/2 lbs. almond bark
peanut butter
12 oz. bag of chocolate chips

Spread peanut butter on crackers. Top with second cracker. Melt almond bark with chocolate chips. Dip sandwich cookies into the chocolate mixture using tongs. Drop onto waxed paper and let cool.

Chow Mein Bites

1 c. peanut butter
12 oz. pkg. butterscotch chips
4 c. miniature marshmallows
4 c. chow mein noodles

Place peanut butter and butterscotch chips in the top of a double boiler. Heat over hot water until melted. Combine with marshmallows and chow mein noodles. Mix well and drop by spoonfuls onto waxed paper. Chill for 1-2 hours.

Sunshine

1 box vanilla wafers
1 stick butter, softened
1 sm. can frozen orange juice
1 box of powdered confectioners sugar
shredded coconut

Crush vanilla wafers to make crumbs. Mix with a stick of butter, orange juice, and sugar. Roll in small balls about the size of walnuts; roll in shredded coconut. Chill for 1-2 hours, until firm.

Chocolate Oatmeal No Bakes

2 c. sugar
1/2 c. cocoa
1/4 c. margarine
pinch of salt
1/2 c. milk
3 c. quick oats (oatmeal)
1 c. creamy peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Combine the first 5 ingredients in a large pan and boil for 1 minute, stirring often. Turn off the heat and stir in the oatmeal, peanut butter and vanilla. Drop by the spoonful onto wax paper. Let them cool and they will harden as they cool.

All The Excellent Uses For Decorated Cookies

Author: Kathleen Westley
Decorated cookies are a wonderful addition to any occasion. They're appealing and elegant, but also small-sized and easy to carry. They make great gifts and perfect party snacks. And above all, they're delicious. You can order specially designed cookies with any theme, to fit any event. No matter what the situation is, it can be improved with decorated cookies.
The most obvious time of year to use decorated cookies is the holiday season. From Thanksgiving to Hanukkah to Christmas to New Year's, holiday cookies are elemental. They do well at large office events, at small family events, as gifts for friends, or just to have within reach around the house, to get into the holiday spirit.
But the end of the year isn't the only time that calls for decorated cookies. Amplify your Halloween with some spooky, scary cookies. Make your Easter complete with cookies that have the looks and flavors of spring. Or gift cookies to your mom on Mother's Day, or your dad on Father's Day, that portray, in a fun way, what being a parent is all about. They even make marvelous birthday gifts. Whether they're for children's parties, important milestones like 18 and 21, or a gentle tease at someone who's getting older, birthday cookies are sure to be a hit.
Is somebody in your household ready to graduate from high school or college? Take cookies to the party, in the shape of diplomas, or graduation caps. Or just a general "Congratulations!" cookie, so they can realize how proud you are of them. Perhaps someone is about to get married. Hand out beautiful and delicious tuxedo and bridal gown cookies as party favors at the engagement party or wedding shower. Then use an arrangement of stylish and elegant white cross and dove cookies as table centerpieces at the wedding reception. Cookies are also a great way to welcome a new baby. Have personalized cookies for either a boy or a girl at the baby shower, and also have the baby's name printed on them! Or select from a variety of fun designs that can welcome in either a boy or a girl. No matter what kind of event you're arranging, decorated cookies are a great way to express the theme visually and make it stand out.
You don't even need to have a celebration to have decorated cookies. Send some to a friend or family member, to show them that you're thinking of them. Is somebody you care for sick, in the hospital, or recovering from an ailment? Get Well cookies will help everybody feel well again. During periods of sorrow or loss, sympathy cookies are a tasteful and considerate way to let someone understand that your thoughts are with them during difficult times. Or send cookies for no reason at all! Surprise your loved ones and let them know they're on your mind. Add some joy to your children's afternoon snack, by giving them cookies shaped like dinosaurs, or monkeys. Take them to celebrate a favorite sport, from baseball to basketball to ballet. Or give some to a friend you haven't seen in a while, just because.
There's simply no limit to the ways you can make use of decorated cookies. Let your imagination run wild. There's a cookie for every event. They're fun, thoughtful, and tasty. No matter what you have planned, decorated cookies will add a bit of tastiness.

Top 3 Delicious Sugar Cookies Recipes

Author: Mary Kerr
Top 3 Delicious Sugar Cookies Recipes

Delicious Sugar Cookies

Ingredients :
Sift together
3 cups flour
1 tsp. soda
11/2 cups sugar
1 cup butter
4 eggs unbeaten

Directions
Cream the butter and sugar together. Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix well. Add the flour gradually and knead into a soft dough. Roll thin, cut into small round shapes and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 400° F. for eight to ten minutes.

Soft Sugar Cookies
This is another cookie recipe that is said to be very old Dutch.

Ingredients :
Sift together
4 cups flour 2 eggs unbeaten
1/2 tsp. salt 1 cup lard
1 tsp. soda 21/2 cups sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. Vanilla

Direction :
Blend the lard into the flour. Be careful to keep the mixture cold. Mix in the sugar. Add the eggs, buttermilk and flavoring and mix quickly. Knead slightly. Roll medium thick, cut into large cookies and bake at 450° F. about twelve minutes.

Zucker Plaetzchen
(Sugar Cookies)

Ingredients:
Dissolve in
1 tbsp. hot water
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
3 cups flour sifted
2 cups brown sugar
3/4 cup butter
creamed
2 eggs unbeaten
Direction :
Add the sugar to the butter and cream ten minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, and blend in well. Add the flour, the soda and cinnamon and knead into a smooth dough. Roll thin, cut into small cakes and bake at 400° F. until light brown.

By Mary Kerr

About the Author,
Mary Kerr is the author of new ebook which contains Delicious Recipes for making cookies from America, England, France, Spain, Italy, Ireland, Germany, Russia & Numerous Other Countries! http://www.bestofnetmarketing.com/Cookies/

The Best Dairy-free Chocolate Chip Cookies in the Universe!

Author: DairyFreeKids
If you have a dairy allergy, there is one thing that you desperately need - a milk-free chocolate chip cookie recipie! The following cookie recipie makes not only the most delicious-tasting chocolate chip cookies in the universe, but there are no eggs, so you know what that means - edible COOKIE DOUGH! Yes, you can take this recipie and combine it with your favorite brand of vanilla soy ice-cream and - BLAMMO - you have probably the most delicious cookie dough ice cream in the universe!
For this excercise, we will try to save some of that cookie dough to make actual chocolate chip cookies. I know this can be difficult, but if you wear oven mitts on your hands, you will not be as tempted to eat all of the cookie dough instead of putting it where it belongs - on the cookie sheet.
These cookies and cookie-dough ice-cream treats are also very tempting to those without a dairy allergy, so be warned. As always, eating the entire batch of delicious chocolate chip cookies can be bad for your tummy, so try to save some for the kids!
INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup dairy-free chocolate chips [such as TropicalSource]


• 1 stick soy margerine [such as Earth Balance]


• 1/4 cup white sugar


• 1/4 cup brown sugar


• 1 teaspoon vanilla


• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda


• 1 1/4 cups flour


• 1 teaspoon baking powder


• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar


• 1 tablespoon water

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Combine margarine with sugar. Add flour, vanilla and baking soda.
3. Combine baking powder, vinegar and water in a separate bowl.
   When this mixture foams up, add it to your mixing bowl.
4. Mix well by hand and add chocolate chips.
5. Drop teaspoons of batter onto cookie sheet and bake for 10-14 minutes, until golden brown.
6. Enjoy!

Three Tips for Finding Healthy Cookie Recipes

Author: LWJF
Here's a breakdown of what healthy ingredients to look for and which ingredients to stay away from when searching for healthy cookie recipes.
Look for whole grain flours; stay away from bleached, refined flours. Unbleached, whole grain flours instead of white flour will vastly improve the healthiness of the cookie, especially since flour is a core ingredient. Only whole grain flour keeps most of its natural nutrients, antioxidants, and fiber, while bleached white flour retains very little. This is because whole grain flour uses the entire grain while the latter uses just the endosperm which is the starchy part of the grain. Regular white flour is still healthier than bleached white flour. Bleached white flour becomes bleached because it's highly processed with chemicals to speed up the aging process of the flour with chlorine, chloride, nitrogen oxide and others. Enriched (adding back what was taken out in processing) flour is also not the healthiest choice to use. Enriched wheat flour is not whole grain.
Look for sea salt; stay away from table salt. If a healthy cookie recipe has nutritious ingredients but contains table salt, opt to substitute sea salt instead. Both have the same chemical makeup of sodium and chloride, but sea salt undergoes very little processing so trace minerals aren't lost like they are in traditional salt.
Look for healthy sweeteners; stay away from refined white sugars and artificial sweeteners. Refined white sugar is void of nutrients; recipes with this ingredient make the cookies unhealthier. Artificial sweeteners cut calories but again, have no nutritional value and often change the taste. For healthier alternatives there's a wide variety of options. Maple syrup, honey, dates, molasses, and evaporated cane juice are a few. These choices also provide a positive taste difference; often times refined white sugar overpowers other flavors. Don't miss out on the other wonderful flavors that might be hiding in your cookie underneath all that white sugar!
If you are looking for healthy cookies, healthy cookie recipes and other healthy snacks with these beneficial ingredients, check out The Wholesome Junk Food Cookbook by Dr. Laura Trice.

Traditional Christmas Cookie Recipes

Author: Patrick Carpen
When the Christmas season hits, it seems like our bodies instinctively start craving the delicious treats of the season. The foods traditionally enjoyed around this time of year vary depending on your family's traditions, but I think it's safe to say that there are at least three types of cookie that most people go out of the way to enjoy at Christmas time: sugar cookies, gingerbread men, and coconut macaroons. In honor of these three Christmas cookie "kings," I've found a recipe for each that sticks as close to the "old ways" as possible, and have compiled them in this article. I hope you and your family enjoy these recipes as much as I do!
Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies
3 cups flour
2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons milk
1 cup butter
2 eggs, well beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
granulated sugar
Cream butter, then blend the sugar in. Add vanilla extract, eggs, milk, and, stirring well. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the moist and mix well. Cover and keep refrigerated for at least 4 hours. Roll the dough between your palms to form 3/4-inch balls, or cut with holiday cutters. Place two inches apart on greased cookie sheet. Sprinkle with sugar, then bake at 375 degrees F for 8 - 10 minutes or until they become golden brown. Allow the cookies to cool on a wire rack.
Gingerbread Men
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup margarine
1 egg yolk
In a large mixing bowl, cream the sugar and margarine. Add the molasses and egg yolk and mix well. In a separate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder and soda, salt, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger). Add to the molasses mixture and stir until thoroughly mixed. Cover with a towel and place in the fridge for an hour. Flour a countertop or other surface and roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Use a cookie cutter or shape manually into the desired form. Place at least two inches apart on a cookie sheet (ungreased). Bake for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees F. When done, place on wire racks to cool, then decorate.
Chocolate Coconut Macaroons
1 can sweetened condensed milk
8 oz shredded coconut
3 oz unsweetened chocolate
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
Mix together the condensed milk, salt, and chocolate in a double boiler, stirring frequently. When chocolate has melted, remove from heat and add coconut and vanilla. Mix well. Grease baking sheets. Drop coconut mixture by the spoonful (try to round them as best as you can) about an inch apart on the baking sheets. Bake for 10 - 20 minutes at 350 degrees F. Place on a wire rack to cool.

Mouthwatering Cookie Recipes

Mouthwatering Cookie Recipes

Author: pcarp

You never know when the craving for a really good cookie will strike someone in your family. There's no need to spend a small fortune on store-bought gourmet cookies when you can just as easily fill the cookie jar with fantastic homemade cookies. If your idea of homemade cookies involves breaking apart some Tollhouse cookie dough squares or slicing through a cookie dough log, then you have a lot to learn about the homemade cookie universe that your taste buds are missing out on! I've put a few great cookie recipes in this article that even the most inexperienced cookie maker can whip up. Enjoy!



Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies



Ingredients:

2 cups of all-purpose flour

1 tsp of salt

1/2 cup of sugar

1 tsp of baking soda

1 cup of brown sugar

2 cups of chocolate chips

1 cup of softened butter

2 large eggs

1 1/2 tsp. of vanilla extract



Directions:

In a small bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking soda. In a large bowl, beat together the butter, vanilla, and sugars until it turns a creamy texture. Mix in one egg at a time, then add the flour mixture and chocolate chips. Grease two large baking sheets or line them with parchment paper. Drop by the tablespoonful for about 12 minutes at 375 degrees F. Allow them to cool on the sheets for a few minutes before removing to cooling racks.



Butterscotch Chip Cookies



Ingredients:

1 1/8 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

3/4 cup butterscotch chips

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 cup flaked coconut

1 cup rice krispies cereal

1/2 cup butter

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla extract



Directions:

In a large bowl mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, white sugar, and brown sugar. Add in the butter, egg, and vanilla and mix well. Mix in the butterscotch chips, coconut, and rice krispies cereal. When this mixture is completely blended, drop by the tablespoonful (about the size of a walnut) onto greased cookie sheets. Slightly flatten with the palm of your hand. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 8 - 10 minutes.



Oatmeal Raisin Cookies



Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3 cups rolled oats

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup butter flavored shortening

1 cup packed light brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup raisins



Directions:

Cream together the shortening, butter, white and brown sugars, vanilla extract, and eggs. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking soda, cloves, and cinnamon. Add the flour mixture into the butter and sugar mixture, and stir well. Add the oats and raising and stir again. Drop by the spoonful onto cookie sheets (ungreased). Bake at 350 degrees F for about 10 - 12 minutes. Allow the cookies to cook on the baking sheets for a minute or two before transferring to wire racks. Keep stored in an air-tight container with a slice of bread to ensure they remain soft.



Sugar Cookies



Ingredients:

2 3/4 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 cups white sugar

1 cup butter, softened

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 egg



Directions:

Mix together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda, then set aside. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar until it turns smooth, then add in the egg and vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture to the sugar and butter, and mix well. Drop by the spoonful onto cookie sheets (ungreased) and bake at 375 degrees F for about 8 - 10 minutes. Let them stand on the cookie sheet for a minute or two before transferring to wire racks.

Make Your Own Healthy Cookie Recipes Using Dates and Other Natural Sweeteners

Author: LWJF
You don't have to give up your favorite cookie recipes—just transform them into healthier versions using natural sweeteners. By following a few simple rules, you can make healthy cookie recipes in no time.  Remember, the cakier the texture, the more your wet and dry ingredients impact the texture.  (Things like oil, milk eggs count as wet ingredients while sugar, flour and cocoa are dry.) That means, go ahead and use an alternative sweetener in your favorite cookie recipe, but it may not work as well in angel food cake, which is cakey, fussy and might fall.  You have more flexibility replacing white sugar with brown rice syrup in a pudding or cookie than in a cake.
Since cookies are not cake like and instead are dense and can be either crunchy or gooey, go ahead and experiment.  So, consider not using white sugar or high fructose corn syrup anymore and instead try these better sweeteners.  Here are a few refined sugar and fat alternatives and how to incorporate them into your baking:
Dates - use dates to replace white or brown sugar. A sweet tree fruit, dates can be pitted, chopped and mashed to make date paste. Or, just use them finely chopped. Dates can also be blended in the blender with water, milk, oil or a combination of them to add as a sweetener.  You can also use date sugar; substitute equal amounts to replace granulated sugar.  Dates add a sweet and gooey richness.  Vegan appropriate.
Bananas - mash them up and substitute equal amounts for the butter or shortening in a recipe.  They add texture, sweetness and taste.  Vegan appropriate.
Applesauce - use as an alternative for butter or shortening, to create a healthy cookie recipe. Can generally replace up to ½ of the fat in most recipes. If using sweetened applesauce, reduce the amount of sugar you add to compensate. When possible, use unsweetened.  Also, when mixing the recipe add the applesauce with the liquid ingredients. You may need to decrease the baking time.  Just watch for the signs it is done.  Vegan appropriate.
Brown Rice Syrup - Since this is less sweet than regular white sugar, substitute 1 ¾ cup of brown rice syrup for each cup of sugar and reduce the amount of liquid in the recipe by ¼ cup.  Vegan appropriate.
Evaporated Cane Juice - whole sugar containing all of the nutrients and trace minerals normally processed out of granulated white sugar. Use measure for measure.  Since it has a light brown color, cakes that were white or yellow may have a slight tan color but taste great.  Chocolate cakes do not show any color change. Vegan appropriate.
Maple Syrup or Raw Agave - replaces corn syrup measure for measure. Or, use ¾ cup maple syrup or agave plus ¼ teaspoon baking soda for each cup of granulated sugar. If using to replace granulated sugar, you will also need to reduce the amount of liquid in the recipe by 3 tablespoons.  Vegan appropriate.
Molasses - if you like the distinctive flavor of molasses, you can substitute up to half of the white sugar with it. For each cup of sugar, use 1 1/3 cups molasses plus 1 teaspoon baking soda. You will also need to reduce the amount of liquid used in the recipe by ¼ cup and lower the oven temp by 25 degrees to prevent overbrowning.  Vegan appropriate.
Honey - replace white sugar with this healthier alternative. Use between ½ to ¾ of a cup of honey for each cup of sugar and reduce the amount of liquid in your healthy cookie recipe by about a ¼ cup. To prevent overbrowning, you will also need to reduce the oven temp by 25 degrees. Vegetarian appropriate.