:: The Cookie Recipe Blog ::

2 C All purpose flour
1/2 tsp Baking powder
1/2 tsp Salt
3/4 C Butter; softened
3/4 C Granulated sugar
1 large Egg
1 tsp Vanilla extract
1/2 tsp Almond extract
1/2 C Cherry preserves

Mix together flour baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl beat together egg and sugar. In a large mixing bowl at medium speed, mix until light and fluffy. Beat in egg mixture, vanilla and almond extracts, till well blended. Turn mixer to low speed and beat in dry ingredients into wet ingredients, just till combined. On a lightly floured piece of waxed paper roll out dough into a rectangle, about 9×12 inches. Place dough on a cookie sheet. Cover and chill till firm, about 15 minutes. Uncover dough and spread the cherry preserves, evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/2 inch border. Starting from the shorter side, roll up the dough in a jelly-roll fashion. When done, wrap the roll in plastic wrap and freeze for 2 hours. Preheat the oven to 375. Spray 2 cookie sheets with nonstick cooking spray. Unwrap frozen cookie dough and slice into 1/4 inch thick pieces. Place onto cookie sheets. Bake until the edges are golden brown, about 12-15 minutes. Cool the cookie sheets for 1 minute, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

1 (12 ounce) package semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups)
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs — beaten
1 cup chopped nuts, if desired

Heat oven to 350º. Heat chocolate chips and butter in 3-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently, until smooth; remove from heat. Stir in remaining ingredients except nuts. Stir in nuts.

Spread batter in ungreased rectangular pan, 13 H 9 H 2 inches. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until center is set. Cool completely. Cut into 8 rows by 4 rows.

2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup butter or margarine (softened)
1 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup chopped peanuts
1 (12 ounce) package semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups)
1/4 cup peanut butter

Line square pan, 9 H 9 H 2 inches, with aluminum foil. Beat powdered sugar, butter, 1 cup peanut butter and the vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Stir in graham cracker crumbs and peanuts (mixture will be stiff). Press in pan.

Melt chocolate chips and 1/4 cup peanut butter over low heat, stirring frequently, until smooth. Spread over bars. Refrigerate about 1 hour or until chocolate is firm. Remove from pan, using foil to lift; fold back foil. Cut into 6 rows by 6 rows. Refrigerate about 2 hours or until firm. Store covered in refrigerator.

1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup shortening
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup ground walnuts
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup raspberry preserves
Powdered sugar

Beat granulated sugar, butter, shortening, vanilla and eggs in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Stir in flour, walnuts, baking powder and salt. Cover and refrigerate about 3 hours or until firm.

Heat oven to 375º. Roll half of dough at a time into 12-inch square on floured cloth-covered surface. Cut into rectangles, 2 H 3 inches. Spoon 1/2 teaspoon preserves along one 3-inch side of each rectangle to within 1/4 inch of edge. Fold dough over preserves, beginning at 3-inch side. Seal edges with fork. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light brown. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Roll in powdered sugar while warm.

2 packages refrigerator sugar cookie dough rolls
Flour for board and rolling pin
heavy card-type paper or cardboard
Various icings in tubes from supermarket
Various candies for decorating cookies

Cut each sugar cookie dough roll in half. Form each into a ball and flatten into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate about 45 minutes until firm. Draw and cut out hand shapes of family members to use as guides for making cookies. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. (check temperature on cookie dough package.) Working with one dough ball at a time on floured board, roll out to about 1/4 inch thick. Use enough flour so dough isnt sticky and can be easily removed to cookie sheet. Place paper hand cut-out on dough and trace with a sharp knife, making cookie hands. Place on cookie sheets & bake until light golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool on rack completely before decorating. Repeat with all cookie dough. Decorate using icings and candies. You can even write family members names on each. This is the fun part to do with kids!

1/2 c shortening
1/2 c butter
1 c granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Beat shortening, butter, sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Combine dry ingredients, blend into mixture. Chill dough for easy handling, then roll out on lightly floured surface. Cut out easter basket shapes with cookie cutter. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 400 degrees F for 6 - 8 minutes, until lightly browned. Let cool before removing from sheet.

Frosting Recipe

2 c confectioners sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp hot water
Candy decorations

Combine ingredients in bowl. Beat until smooth. Divide into 4 bowls, then tint with the food coloring. Spread frosting on cookies and decorate.

1 1/4 c Firmly-packed brown sugar
3/4 c Golden crisco shortening
2 tb Milk
1 tb Vanilla
1 Egg
1 3/4 c All-purpose flour
1 ts Salt
3/4 ts Baking soda
1 1/2 c Pastel-coloured candy coated chocolate pieces

1. Pre-heat oven to 375F (190C). Place sheets of foil on countertop for cooling cookies.
2. Combine brown sugar, shortening, milk and vanilla in large bowl. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended. Beat egg into creamed mixture.
3. Combine flour, salt and baking soda. Mix into creamed mixture at low speed just until blended. Stir in candy-coated pieces or vanilla chips.
4. Drop rounded tablespoonfuls (15 mL) of dough 3 inches (7 cm) apart onto ungreased baking sheet.
5. Bake one baking sheet at a time at 375F (190C) for 8 to 10 minutes for chewy cookies, or 11 to 13 minutes for crisp cookies. DO NOT OVERBAKE. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet. Remove cookies to foil to cool completely.

1/2 c Butter or margarine;-softened
1 c Sugar
2 Eggs
2 c All-purpose flour
1/2 c Hershey’s cocoa
1 ts Baking powder
1/2 ts Baking soda
1/2 ts Salt
Valentine frosting:
1 1/2 c Powdered sugar
2 tb Butter or margarine Or shortening
2 tb Milk
1/2 ts Vanilla extract
2 dr Red food color; (2 to 3)

1. In large bowl, beat butter, sugar and eggs on medium speed of electric mixer until light and fluffy. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; add to butter mixture beating until well blended. Cover; refrigerate dough about 1 hour or until firm enough to handle.
2. Heat oven to 350 F. On lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/8-inch thickness; cut with heart-shaped cookie cutter. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
3. Bake 5 to 7 minutes or until no imprint remains when touched lightly in center. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. Frost with VALENTINE FROSTING; decorate as desired. About 4 dozen cookies.

VALENTINE FROSTING:
In bowl, beat powdered sugar, shortening, milk, vanilla and food color, if desired, until smooth and of spreading consistency. About 3/4 cup frosting. VARIATION: CHOCOLATE VALENTINE FROSTING: Stir 3 tablespoons HERSHEY’S Cocoa into powdered sugar. Omit food color. Proceed as directed above, increasing milk to 3 tablespoons.JMHershey’s is a registered trademark of Hershey Foods Corporation. Recipe may be reprinted courtesy of the Hershey Kitchens.

1 c Butter or margarine;-softened
3/4 c Brown sugar, packed
3 c All-purpose flour
1/4 ts Salt
Red sugar crystals; optional

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Cream the butter; gradually add the sugar, beating with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Sift together the flour and salt. Add to the creamed mixture and stir with a wooden spoon to thoroughly combine. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured board to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out with heart-shaped cookie cutters. Place on an ungreased or parchment-lined cookie sheet. Sprinkle with red sugar crystals, if desired. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until lightly browned. Store in airtight containers with waxed paper between the layers of cookies. Makes 3 to 4 dozen.

1 1/3 c Flour
1 c Almonds, ground; toasted
2 ts Cinnamon
1/3 ts Salt
3/4 c Butter; softened
1 ts Vanilla
1/4 c Orange peel candied; minced
1 Egg white beaten w/2 tsp
Water for glaze
Colored icings; colored
Sugar for decorating

Beat together butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Stir in flour, almonds, cinnamon and salt, blend well. Stir in orange peel. Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate 2 hours. Preheat oven to 375. Roll out dough 1/4″ thick and cut shapes with Christmas cookie cutters. If not using icing, decorate with colored sugar or gragees before baking. Bake 9-12 minutes or until golden brown. Decorate with icing, colored sugars, dragees, etc. Store airtight at room temp one week, freeze longer.