Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

I love oatmeal raisin cookies and always forget how easy they are to make! This recipe calls all for ingredients you're likely to have in you're kitchen! There's nothing worse than having a craving for something but none of the groceries you need to make it.

You will need:
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter (softened)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cornstarch
1 large egg
1 & 1/2 tsp. vanilla
2/3 cup all purpose flour
1 cup oats
2/3 cup raisins

To start:
1. Pre-heat your oven to 350F and line a 9x13 baking sheet with parchment.
2. Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter, sugars, vanilla, and egg. Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, cornstarch, and baking powder and continue to mix.
3. Fold the flour into the wet mixture 1/3 cup at a time. Add the oats and raisins making sure they are evenly distributed in the dough.
4. Drop twelve 2 & 1/2 inch dough balls onto your lined baking sheet.
5. Bake for 13-15 minutes and allow to cool completely before serving.

Yields - 1&1/2 - 2 dozen cookies

I've been told by so many people that they love these cookies! The cinnamon and nutmeg really make them perfect. This is the ideal recipe to tuck in your back pocket for when autumn rolls around and you're needing something that tastes like fall! I like to pair these with chai tea lattes or coffee. I'm craving cold weather and sweaters just by thinking about these cookies! They're thick and warm and have have all the important qualities an oatmeal raisin cookie should have! I hope you enjoyed this recipe and enjoy these cookies!

Happy Baking!

Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Cookies

I've discovered the secret to chocolate chip cookies that never get hard... cream cheese! These little cookies are so perfect and delicious!! You'll amaze any and every one who tries these cookies. They literally do melt in your mouth.

You will need:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 tbsp. imitation vanilla
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tbsp. cornstarch
2/3 cup all purpose flour
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 large egg

To start:
1.  Let the butter and cream cheese set out for about 30 minutes to get soft.  If the cream cheese is not soft enough, it will ruin the consistency of the cookies.
2. In a large bowl cream together the butter, cream cheese, sugars, egg, and vanilla.
3. In a separate bowl mix together all the dry ingredients, including the chocolate chips.
4.  Fold the dry mixture into the wet mixture 1/3 at a time.
5.  Heat oven to 325 F.  Line a 9x13 cookie sheet with parchment paper and drop cookies onto it.  This batter is runny, so don't try to to roll into balls unless you want sticky hands! Drop them 1 1/2 inch apart because they will spread.
6.  Bake for 20-23 minutes or until cookies don't jiggle when the pan is shaken.
7.  Allow the cookies to cool down completely before removing them from the sheet, otherwise the bottoms will fall out.

Yields: 3 dozen small cookies

I absolutely adore these cookies. Bake with caution: they are extremely rich and highly addictive.

Happy Baking!!

Lemon Cream Cheese Cookies

My family was needing a little comfort food tonight, and these cookies were the perfect fix.  They're tangy and sweet and so addictive.  They're soft, chewy, and melt in your mouth!! I frosted mine with Martha Stewart's Swiss Meringue Buttercream (my newest obsession!)  This icing complements these sweet little cookies perfectly and I strongly suggest using it with this recipe!

Yields 36-48 cookies

You will need:
1 8oz. package of cream cheese
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 large egg
3/4 cup almond meal (sifted)
5/6 cup (1/2 plus 1/3 cup) all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 cup confectioners sugar

To begin:
1. Your cream cheese needs to set out for 25 to 30 minutes before being used.  If it's not soft enough, it will cause the batter to be clumpy. Pre-heat oven to 325 F and line two 9x13 cookie sheets with parchment.
2.  Once the cream cheese is soft enough, cream it together with the sugar, lemon juice, and egg.  Mix well until there are no clumps.
3.  In another bowl, combine the sifted almond meal, flour, baking soda, and confectioners sugar. Add a quarter of the dry mixture to the wet mixture at a time.
4.  Drop dough balls 1 1/2 inch away from each other. The dough should be a little runny, so once it hits the cookie sheet, it will spread itself out.  Bake for 20-23 minutes or until slightly golden on the edges.
5.  Let the cookies cool before removing them from the parchment. If you try to take them off too soon, the bottoms will fall out of them.
6.  Once the cookies are completely cool, ice them with the Swiss Meringue Buttercream.  This icing is extremely sensitive to heat, so make sure you've allowed your cookies enough time to sit.

I love these cookies! They're fun to personalize and decorate, not to mention soooo tasty! I hope you found this recipe helpful and simple!! Happy baking!

Oatmeal Craisin Cookies

I made these cookies this week and I'm already trying to find another excuse to make them again! They're the perfect treat during this chilly weather! These cookies go great with the holidays and will be great for gifting! The recipe is simple and yields about a dozen and a half to two dozen cookies depending on the size you make them.

You will need:

1  1/3 cup rolled oats

1  1/4 cup flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tbsp. butter

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 large egg

1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce

1  1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 cup craisins (dried cranberries)

2/3 cup white chocolate chips (optional)

To start:

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.

2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the egg, vanilla, brown sugar, honey, applesauce, and butter. It's best to use an electric mixer for this. 

3. Next, add in the baking soda, baking powder and salt. Gradually mix in the flour with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. 

4.  Fold in the oats until evenly distributed.

5. Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon (a spatula would be best) mix in the cranberries and pecans.

6. Line your baking sheets with parchment paper and spoon the dough onto the pan in 2 inch circles about 2 inches apart. 

7.  Bake for 10-12 minutes or until cookies are solid.

8. Let the cookies cool for 10 minutes before packaging.

I hope you found this recipe useful! Happy cooking!

Plain Jane Tea Cookies

These cookies are super easy to make and yummy! They're good with coffee, tea, or by themselves! They are also great because they're made of five basic ingredients that you may have already!

Ingredients:
1 cup margarine
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup corn starch
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Supplies:
Cookie pan(s)
Two large bowls
Two large spoons

To start:
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. In one large bowl cream margarine and powdered sugar.
3. In the second bowl mix flour, baking powder, and corn starch.
4. Mix the dry ingredients into the first bowl a half cup at a time.
5. Once the dough is thoroughly mixed, roll into quarter-sized balls and place on greased pan.
6. Put the pan(s) in the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes or until edges are golden.

I hope you enjoy this simple but tasty recipe! I made it with a group of 3rd and 4th graders. That's how easy it is! Have fun with this!

Happy cooking!