Rootbeer Cookies

My friend Meggan posted this recipe on her facebook account.  My mouth started watering.  I made these for a family night treat.  I have to say they are delicious.  I think they are the best after the frosting and the cookies cool down.  The frosting hardens and it is awesome!

Cookies:
2 C brown sugar
1 C softened butter
1/2 C buttermilk (or 1 1/2 t lemon juice or white vinegar and enough milk to make 1/2 C)
2 eggs
2 T root beer extract (this sounds like a lot, but it really isn't)

Mix until blended.  Add:

4 C flour (I ended up doing about 3/4 C more flour and I would recommend that)
1 t soda
1 pinch salt

Drop by rounded teaspoons on cookie sheet.  Cook at 350 for 10-12 mins.

Frosting:
1/2 cube butter softened
1 T root beer extract
3 1/2 C powdered sugar
approx 5 T milk

Oatmeal Coconut Chewies

Usually I am not a fan of cookies that don't have frosting or chocolate in them.  I saw these one evening on Sisters Cafe and they seemed simple and easy.  They rocked!  I couldn't eat enough.  I love that they are chewy, but still have some crispness. I even made my kids eat store bought cookies so I could have the last three.   Delicious!

1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened to cool room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups flour
1 cup shredded, sweetened coconut
1 cup quick oats

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl cream together the sugar, eggs, butter and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto a greased or lined baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 9-11 minutes, until the cookies are set but not overly browned (bake a few minutes longer for a crispier version).

Homemade Oreos

These are my new go-to dessert.  They are easy and fast to make, plus they are delicious.

1 box of Devils Food cake (I use any type of chocolate cake mix)
2 eggs
1/2 C. oil
1 can cream cheese frosting

Mix cake mix oil, and eggs until completely mix.  Roll into balls and place on greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.  Cool mostly on pan and then move to wire rack to cool completely.  Frost one cookie with frosting and then add another cookie.  Makes 12 large oreos or 18 small oreos. 

**You can add mint extract and green food coloring for mint oreos.  I also have used peanut butter instead of frosting.

Candy Corn Sugar Cookies

I am so excited for Fall (or pre-Winter if you live in Idaho).  I love this season and all the food that comes with it.  I saw these on Jamie Cooks It Up and thought they were so fun and cute for Halloween.  They were easy and my kids thought they were so awesome!  I used my own sugar cookie recipe, but hers looks easy as well. Enjoy these!

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Yesterday was a crazy day and maybe because of being pregnant and tired, I really was craving baked goods and comfort foods. I saw these cookie bars and they reminded me of being a kid. We very seldom made cookies. We usually made cookie bars. These were awesome! They are really chewy and they hit the spot!

Picture and recipe from Kitchen Cafe

Makes a 9X13-inch pan of bars

2 1/8 cups (10 1/2 ounces) all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

12 tablespoons butter (1 1/2 sticks), melted and cooled slightly

1 cup (7 ounces) light brown sugar

1/2 (3 1/2 ounces) cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups chocolate chips (use your preference of semisweet, bittersweet, milk, white, peanut butter...the options are endless!)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Adjust the oven rack to lower-middle position. Line a 9X13-inch baking pan with foil, letting the excess hang over the edges of the pan by about 1 inch so you can grab those edges and pull the brownies from the pan after they have baked. Spray the foil-lined pan with nonstick cooking spray.Mix the flour, salt, and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside. Whisk the melted butter and sugars in a large bowl until combined. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and mix well. Using a rubber spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the egg mixture until just combined; do not overmix. Fold in the chocolate chips and turn the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with the spatula.Bake until the top of the bars is light golden brown, slightly firm to the touch, and edges start pulling away from sides of pan, 24-28 minutes. Cool on a wire rack to room temperature. Remove the bars from the pan by lifting the foil overhang and transfer them to a cutting board. Cut into 2-inch squares and serve.

Coconut-Macadamia Triangles

Picture and Recipe from Kitchen Cafe

These are a new favorite at our house. Port's all time favorite cookie is white chocolate macadamia nut cookies, mostly because of the macadamia nuts. These bars were a huge hit because they had all the best things in them...aka..macadamia nuts! Port didn't really want to share with any of us. Luckily it is the holidays and there are plenty of treats to go around.

*Makes 24 triangle bars


*1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¾ cup firmly packed light brown sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
¾ teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 cup unsalted macadamia nuts, lightly toasted and coarsely chopped
½ cup shredded coconut
3 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted



Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line the bottom and sides of a 9-inch square pan with aluminum foil letting the edges hang over the pan slightly and lightly grease.Combine 1 cup flour, 1 tablespoon brown sugar and ½ teaspoon salt in a bowl. Whisk together to combine. Scatter butter pieces over the flour mixture and using a pastry blender or two forks, cut in the butter until small crumbs form. (Alternately, you can use a food processor to do this.) Turn the flour butter mixture out into the prepared pan. Press the mixture into the pan in an even, solid layer.Bake until the edges are golden, about 10 minutes.Meanwhile, combine 2 tablespoon flour, ¾ cup brown sugar, corn syrup, vanilla, egg and ¼ teaspoon salt. Beat with a wooden spoon until thoroughly blended. Stir in the nuts and coconut until blended.Spread the coconut topping over the warm baked bottom crust. Return to the oven and bake until the topping is lightly browned and the edges pull away from the sides of the pan, about 15-20 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan (this is important so the caramel layer doesn't fall apart upon cutting). Cut into twelve 3 by 2 ¼-inch rectangles. Cut each rectangle in half on the diagonal to make triangles. Dip one corner of each triangle in the melted chocolate and let cool on a sheet of waxed paper.

***I would probably not do the chocolate again. Port requested another batch with no chocolate. He really liked just the caramel and nuts.

Candy Cookie Cups

From Taste of Home

I saw this recipe in one of the recipe books I have. I couldn't resist. These little bites have everything Port loves. Chocolate and peanut butter combined with his favorite chocolate chip macadamia nut cookies.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup finely chopped macadamia nuts
1 package (16 ounces) individually portioned refrigerated white chip macadamia nut cookie dough (I just made my regular chocolate chip cookies and added the macadamia nuts it made about 3 times the amount called for in the recipe)
24 miniature peanut butter cups



Directions: Sprinkle macadamia nuts into 24 greased miniature muffin cups, 1 teaspoon in each. Cut each portion of cookie dough in half; place each half in a muffin cup. Bake at 325° for 11-13 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately place a peanut butter cup in each cookie; press down gently. Cool completely before removing from pans to wire racks. Yield: 2 dozen.

Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies

From a Bountiful Kitchen

1 egg, beaten
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup shortening
2 (1 oz) squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 2/3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup nuts (optional)
Chocolate frosting:
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 cups powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup half and half
1 teaspoon vanilla
for cookies:
Beat egg and sugar until fluffy. Add vanilla, shortening and melted chocolate. Blend well. Combine all dry ingredients into small bowl. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk to chocolate mixture. If using, add nuts. Drop by tablespoons onto greased cookie sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 8-10 minutes. When the cookies are almost done cooking, remove from oven and place 1/2 of a large marshmallow on top of each cookie. Return to oven for about 1 minute or just until marshmallow puffs. Remove from oven, flatten marshmallow with the back of a wooden spoon or spatula. Cool completely. Frost with chocolate frosting.
for frosting:
Beat softened butter in bowl. Add vanilla. Slowly beat in cocoa, powdered sugar, milk or half and half. If needed, add more milk, a little at a time.

Chocolate Chip Cookies~

I love chocolate chip cookies and for a long time used the Nestle Tollhouse recipe until I found this one from Cherry Hill Cottage. It is awesome.

2 sticks unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoon milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 375 degrees.
Melt the butter in a heavy-bottom medium saucepan over low heat. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda and set aside. Pour the melted butter in the mixer's work bowl. Add the sugar and brown sugar. Cream the butter and sugars on medium speed. Add the egg, yolk, 2 tablespoons milk and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture until thoroughly combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Chill the dough, then scoop onto parchment-lined baking sheets, 6 cookies per sheet. Bake for 14 minutes or until golden brown, checking the cookies after 5 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet for even browning. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.