Gingerbread Men

This cookie recipe gives you that fabulous gingerbread taste without the molasses, which can be overpowering in other recipes.  The cookies are soft and yummy!  This recipe if from allrecipes.com and submitted under the title name by Kim.  Try it - you'll love them!

Ingredients:

1 (3.5 oz) pkg. cook and serve butterscotch pudding mix

1/2 c. butter

1/2 c. packed brown sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

What to Do:

1.  In a medium bowl, cream together the dry butterscotch pudding mix, butter, and brown sugar until smooth.  Stir in the egg.  Combine the flour, baking soda, ginger, and cinnamon; stir into the pudding mixture.  Cover, and chill dough until firm, about 1 hour.

2.  Preheat the oven to 350*F.  Grease baking sheets.  On a floured board, roll dough out to about 1/8 inch thickness, and cut into man shapes using a cookie cutter.  Place cookies 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets (you'll want to make sure they have room because they fluff up and grow!).

3.  Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until cookies are golden at the edges.  Cool on wire racks.  Frost with frosting or icing (you'll want one of the other).  

Cake Box Cookies

Need some cookies fast but don't have all the ingredients?  These cookies are so fabulous when you're in a pinch.  I always try to pick up a cake mix or two when they're on mega-sale, and then you will always have these available to you.  I feel a little chagrined that I can't give the website where I found this exact recipe, but I'll just say this recipe is not my own, and you can find it online at cooks.com - I do know that much!  Super easy, super yummy, super versatile! PS - The picture below is of chocolate cake box cookies made by my 9 year old cousin for cub scouts - they are that easy!

Ingredients:

18 oz package cake mix (any flavor - I've done from chocolate to spice to lemon - really, ANY flavor works!)

1/2 c. butter, softened

1 egg

(Special Note:  If using chocolate cake mix, add 2 Tb. water along with the egg.)

(You can also add chocolate chips, candy pieces, chopped nuts, or oatmeal - totally up to you!)

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350*F.  

2.  In a large bowl, combine all ingredients at low speed until thoroughly mixed.  

3.  Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls 2" apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.

4.  Bake in oven for 9 - 12 minutes.  Cool two minutes on cookie sheets, then remove to wire racks to cool.

5.  Serve plain or with store-bought frosting, or an easy icing (mix powdered sugar and water until you have the consistency you desire) depending on your preference.

Brownie Chip Cookies

Wanting to see if there was an easy way to turn a box of brownie mix into cookies, I went searching online.  Lo and behold, I found this fabulous recipe at cooks.com.  It's quick, easy, and very very yummy!

What You'll Need:

1 pkg. fudge brownie mix (family size)

2 eggs

1/4 c. oil

6 oz. pkg. chocolate chips (or you could use peanut butter morsels, butterscotch morsels, heath bar chips, etc....  you get the idea)

1 can ready to spread frosting, or your best homemade frosting ready to go

What to Do:

1.  Preheat oven to 350*F.  Grease cookie sheets.

2. In a large bowl combine brownie mix, eggs and oil.  Stir by hand to blend.  Add chocolate chips. Drop by rounded teaspoon 2-inches apart on cookie sheets.

3.  Bake at 350* for 10-12 minutes.  Cookies will be soft to touch.  Cool slightly before removing from cookie sheet.

4.  Frost with your favorite frosting.

Makes 4 dozen cookies.

Carrot Cookies

This recipe is from Grandma Polly Brady (my husband's great-grandmother), passed to us through Patty Hawks (our Aunt).  Even though my toddler HATES carrots, she LOVES these cookies. 

Ingredients:

1 c. cooked carrots, mashed

1 c. shortening

3/4 c. sugar

1 egg

2 c. flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. lemon juice

What to Do:

1.  Cream together shortening, egg and sugar.  Add carrots and mix.  Then add remaining ingredients.

2.  Drop by teaspoon onto lightly greased cookie sheet.  Press lightly in the center with a wet finger.

3.  Bake 8-10 minutes at 400*F.

Frosting:

Juice 1 large orange and add enough powdered sugar to make it the right consistency.  Frost cookies while still warm.  (This is really more like an icing.)

Chocolate Drop Oatmeal Cookies

These are my husband's favorite cookies on the planet. This is the recipe that his family uses, and, trust me, they're scrumptious!

What You'll Need:
3/4 c. shortening
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. sugar
1 egg
1/4 c. water
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3 c. oats
1/2 pkg. chocolate chips (although I always put more in!)

What to Do:
1. Mix together the ingredients.
2. Spoon onto cookie sheets.
3. Bake 12-15 minutes at 350*.

Seriously so simple and so good!

Snickerdoodles

I found this recipe at allrecipes, posted by Sue W. I followed it exactly (which is rare for me!), and we LOVE these cookies. They're soft and thick. Super yummy!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 c. white sugar
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 Tb. white sugar
2 tsp. ground cinnamon

What to Do:
1. Preheat oven to 400*F.
2. Combine 1 1/2 c. white sugar, butter or margarine, vanilla and eggs. Mix well.
3. Stir in flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Blend well. Shape dough into 1-inch balls.
4. Combine 2 Tb. sugar and 2 tsp. ground cinnamon. Roll dough in sugar/cinnamon mixture and place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
5. Bake 8-10 minutes or until set. Immediately remove from cookie sheets.

I just have to share this picture of my daughter anxiously waiting for the cookies to finish cooking!

Funfetti Cookies

I discovered this recipe on the side of a cake box from Pillsbury. It attributes the recipe to Molly Taylor, from Tennessee, who won their 1990 baking contest with this recipe.

Ingredients:

1 (18.9 oz) pkg. Pillsbury Funfetti Cake Mix
1/3 c. Oil
2 eggs
1 (15.6 oz) can Pillsbury Funfetti Frosting

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375*F. Mix all ingredients together. Roll doll into 1-inch balls and place 2-inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten the balls of dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Bake for 6-8 minutes. Cool 1 minute. Remove from cookie sheets. Frost cookies while warm and immediately sprinkle with candy bits from the frosting.