“Delicious update of the classic oatmeal raisin cookies”

Ingredients
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
8 ounces white chocolate chips
7 ounces dried apricots, chopped (1-1/2 cups)

1. Mix flour, oatmeal and baking soda in a medium bowl. Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low and add salt, vanilla and eggs; beat until well combined, about 1 minute. Add flour mixture gradually, beating until just combined. Stir in chocolate and apricots. Cover and refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

3. Drop heaping tablespoons of dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apat. Bake until edges are golden brown but still soft in the center, 14-16minutes. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheets. Transfer to wire rack; cool.

“I’m not sure if it’s the rose water or what, but I’m pretty sure these are the best tasting cookies I’ve ever made.  The flavor, for some reason, reminds me of homemade vanilla ice cream.”

Ignore the fact that I can't bake pretty cookies

Ingredients
2-2/3 cup flour
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter
2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1-2 teaspoon rosewater
Sugar for rolling

1. Cream butter and 2 cups of sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, incorporating thoroughly after each. Add vanilla and rose and beat until smooth.

2. Stir in the dry ingredients. Beat until well blended. Chill for 2 hours.

3. Roll into balls, using a tablespoon of dough for each ball. Roll in sugar and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

(Submitted by Tiffany)

Ingredients
1 cup water
1 tablespoon white vinegar
2 cups sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons peppermint extract
1/8 teaspoon red food coloring

1. Coat two 9-inch baking pans with non-stick cooking spray. (Donot use butter or foil to prepare pans.)

2. In heavy sauce pan, combine water and vinegar.  Add sugar.  Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved and mixture comes to a boil, about 8 minutes. (If sugar crystals are present on pan, cover saucepan for 1-1/2 to 2 minutes to let steam wash down.)  Cook, without stirring, until candy thermometer reaches 300 degrees (hard-crack stage)*, about 26 minutes.

3. Combine peppermint extract and red food coloring.  Remove syrup from heat; stir in peppermint mixture until well blended.  (Mixture will bubble up slightly.)  Keep away from face because the odor is strong.  Immediately and carefully pour into prepared pans.  (Do not scrape saucepan or tilt pans to spread evenly.)  Cool for 1-1/2 to 2 minutes.

4. Using a large knife, score candy into 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch wide pieces, about 3 inches long.  Place both bans in warmover (on your ovens lowest setting) for about 5 minutes or until candy is warm enough to cut but cool enough to handle.

5. Using hewavy-duty kitchen scissors, cut along scored lines, one piece at a time.  Immediately wrap each piece around the handle of a wooden spoon; remove candy and place on waxed paper to cool.  Continue cutting and wrapping until mixture begins to harden (or break when wrapping).  Return pan to oven.  Remove second pan.  Cut and wrap until mixture begins to harden.  Repeat until all pieces are cut and formed into twists.

(Submitted by Tiffany)

“These make really tasty, fudgy, crunchy cookies!”

Ingredients
1 box (1lb 2.3oz) Betty Crocker fudge brownie mix
2 cups Fiber One cereal
1/3 cup water
1 egg
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/8 teaspoons cinnamon
2 tablespoons miniature semisweet chocolate chips

1. Heat over to 350°F. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients with spoon. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls two inches apart on cookie sheet.

2. Bake 10-12 minutes until set. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Store in tightly covered container.

(Submitted by Webmaster)

“This makes a nice crumbly butter cookie with a tasty hint of peppermint   They taste a lot better than they look in my picture! haha”

Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup finely crushed candy canes
3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Coat cookie sheets with nonstick cooking spray.

2. In a large bowl, cream the butter and confectioners’ sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and the peppermint and vanilla extracts; beat until well blended.

3. Gradually add the flour and salt; mix until thoroughly blended. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.

4. In a small bowl, combine the crushed candy canes and the granulated sugar. Shape the chilled cookie dough into 1-1/2-inch balls then roll each in the candy cane mixture, coating completely. Place 2 inches apart on the cookie sheets.

5. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden. Immediately remove to wire racks to cool completely.

(Submitted by Webmaster)

“My favorite type of cookie is with white chocolate pieces and macadamia nuts, and I love sweetened dried cranberries, so this recipe was perfect for me!  It comes out so tasty too!”

Ingredients
3 cups flour
3/4 t. baking soda
3/4 t.. salt
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 T. vanilla
1 cup each white chocolate chips, chopped macadamia nuts and cranberries (I prefer Craisins)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F

2. Combine baking soda, flour and salt.  Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl.  Add eggs and vanilla.

3. Add dry ingredients to wet mixture.  Stir in chips, nut and cranberries.

4. Place by spoonfuls on ungreased baking sheet.  Bake 10 minutes or until just set.  Cool on wire rack.

(Submitted by Webmaster)

“THE best brownie recipe I’ve tried so far!  I made this and swirl caramel into the batter, then top with a bit more about 5 minutes until done.”

Ingredients
3 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup shortening, melted
1 1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup baking cocoa
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped nuts

1. Beat eggs, sugar and vanilla until blended. Beat in butter and shortening until smooth.

2. Combine cocoa, flour and salt in a separate bowl. Graduallt add to wet mixture. Stir in nuts.

3. Place foil in 13x9x2″ pan and grease. Pour batter into pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

4. Cool brownies in pan on rack. Once cooled, lift brownies out with foil and cut into squares or other shapes using cookie cutter.

(Submitted by Webmaster)

Ingredients
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1/4 teaspoon salt
Cinnamon sugar (1/4 cup sugar + 1 teaspoon cinnamon)

1. In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar.  Beat in egg and vanilla.

2. Combine flour, cinnamon, baking powder, lemon peel and salt.  Add to butter mixture.  Blend well.

3. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours or until firm

4. Shape dough into small balls, about 3/4-inch in diameter.  Roll in cinnamon sugar to coat.

5. Set cookies 1-inch apart on lightly greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees (F) for 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.

6.  Cool slightly on pan, then transfer to racks to cool completely.

(Submitted by Webmaster)

Ingredients
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 lemon extract or grated lemon peel
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
Sugar, for sprinkling, optional

1. Beat butter until creamy and light with mixer or by hand.  Beat in sugar until mixture is creamed.  Add egg and beat.  Add vanilla and lemon extracts and nutmug.

2. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt.  Add flour to creamed mixture.  Mix until blended.

3. Cover and chill in freezer for about 30 minutes or in ‘fridge for 2 – 3 hours.

4. Carefully roll out portion of dough on a floured board to 1/4″ thickness.  Cut into shapes.  Place on greaed cookie sheet.  Sprinkle with sugar if used.

5. Bake at 375 degrees (F) for 8 minutes.  Cool for a few minutes.  Remove to rack to cool completely.  Once cooled, store tightly covered.

(Submitted by Webmaster)

Ingredients
3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup choppd cocktail peanuts or semisweet chocolate pieces (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees(F)

2. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and PB with electric mixer on medium to high speed for about 30 seconds or until combined.  Add sugar, brown sugar, baking powder and baking soda.  Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occassionally.  Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined.  Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer.  Stir in any remaining flour.  Stir in rolled oats and peanuts.

3. Drop dough by rounded teaspoon 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake about 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.  Transfer to wire rack and let cool.

(Submitted by Webmaster)