Chocolate Crackles

Crispy-crackly on the outside, soft and dark on the inside--these delightful cookies are a new favorite at our house.  We like them with chocolate chips, but they are terrific plain or with nuts, too. They are lighter than brownies or other fudge cookies that contain larger amounts of butter. 

• 4 ounces semisweet baking chocolate*
• 5 tablespoons soft butter
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 cup chocolate chips -or- chopped nuts (optional)

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Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt chocolate and butter in double boiler over barely simmering water, stirring occasionally.  Scrape mixture into mixing bowl and beat in sugar, egg and vanilla.

Sift together flour and baking powder and add to chocolate mixture.  Mix well and stir in chocolate chips or nuts.

Roll dough into small balls (3/4"- 1" in diameter) and place on greased cookie sheets, two inches apart.  Bake for 12-14 minutes, until cookies are set.  Do not overbake, or cookies will become too crisp.

Makes 4 dozen.

*4 squares  

Alec's Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies are firmer than the “Toll House” version, and are great for packaging for potlucks or mailing, as they won’t stick together like softer cookies are prone to do.
A real favorite in our house.

• 1 cup (2 cubes) butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1-1/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla
• 3-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1-1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.

Cream the but­ter, add the sugars and beat until well combined. Beat in 1 egg and the vanilla. Add the remaining egg and beat just until incorporated.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture and mix gently until just barely incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts.

Drop tablespoons of dough onto the pre­pared baking sheets (do not flatten the cookies). Bake on the center rack of oven for 12 to 14 minutes, or until golden brown and still soft when gen­tly pressed.

Inez Sez Sesame Cookies

Surprisingly habit-forming
Be sure to toast the sesame seeds

1 cup sesame seeds, lightly toasted
1/4 cup coconut (optional)
1/3 cup finely chopped nuts
3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

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Cream together butter and brown sugar; beat in egg and vanilla. Stir in flour,
baking powder, soda, and salt; mix well. Blend in coconut and chopped nuts.

Drop dough by spoonfuls on ungreased cookie sheet; flatten with tines of a fork.

Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 10-12 minutes. Makes 4 dozen.

Cherry Valentine Cordials

Pretty cookies for your sweetheart!

• 1 CUP SOFT BUTTER OR MARGARINE
• 1 CUP POWDERED SUGAR
• 2 TSP MARASCHINO CHERRY JUICE
• 1/2 TSP ALMOND EXTRACT
• A FEW DROPS RED FOOD COLORING
• 2-1/4 CUPS FLOUR
• 1/2 TSP SALT
• 1/2 CUP MARASCHINO CHERRIES, DRAINED AND CHOPPED
• 48 CHOCOLATE KISSES, UNWRAPPED

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Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In large bowl, combine butter, powdered sugar, cherry juice, almond extract and food coloring; blend well. Stir in flour and salt. Add cherries; mix well.

Form dough into 1” balls. Place two inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until lightly brown around the edges. Immediately top each cookie with a chocolate kiss. Remove from cookie sheets.

Makes approximately 48 cookies.

Pinky's Famous Oatmeal Cookies

These were the “staple” cookie when I was growing up.

My mother must have made thousands—and we never got tired of them.

• 1 CUP BUTTER OR MARGARINE*
• 1-1/2 CUPS WHITE SUGAR
• 2 EGGS
• 1/2 TEASPOON VANILLA
• 2-1/2 CUPS FLOUR
• 1 TSP BAKING SODA
• 2 CUPS QUICK OATS
• 1 CUP RAISINS

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Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Cream butter until soft, add sugar and beat well. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add flour and baking soda and mix well. Mix in oats and raisins (if dough is too stiff, use your hands to mix**).

Roll dough into balls and place on cookie sheet. Flatten each cookie with the tines of a fork, making a criss­cross pattern.

Bake at 325 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until they begin to brown.

Variations:

If desired, add 1/2 cup chopped nuts.
My husband doesn’t like raisins, so sometimes I substitute toffee bits or butterscotch chips (not as healthy, but very good!).

*The original recipe (that Pinky used to develop this recipe) called for shortening, plus 1/4 tsp salt.

**This is an old recipe, hence the instructions to use your hands, not an electric mixer!

Albert's Favorite Oatmeal Cookies

Similar to Pinky's recipe, but softer and chewier.   Very popular at my house.  Albert ate fourteen.

• 1 CUP BUTTER
• 1 CUP WHITE SUGAR
• 1 CUP BROWN SUGAR (FIRMLY PACKED)
• 2 EGGS
• 2 TEASPOONS VANILLA
• 2  CUPS FLOUR
• 1 TSP BAKING SODA
• 1 TEASPOON BAKING POWDER
• 1/2 TEASPOON SALT
• 3 CUPS OATS (QUICK OR OLD-FASHIONED OR A MIXTURE OF BOTH)
• 1 CUP RAISINS

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Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease cookie sheets (or line with parchment paper).

Cream butter until soft, add sugars and beat well. Beat in eggs and vanilla.  Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a separate bowl, then stir (don't beat) into butter mixture.  Mix in oats and raisins.

Roll dough into generous balls and place on cookie sheet. Press cookies with fingers to flatten slightly.

Bake or 11-12 minutes or until cookies are golden.

Peanut Butter Cookies

The old favorite

• 1-1/4 CUPS FLOUR
• 1/4 TSP SODA
• 1/2 TSP BAKING POWDER
• 1/4 TSP SALT
• 1/2 CUP SOFT BUTTER OR MARGARINE
• 1/2 CUP PEANUT BUTTER AT ROOM TEMPERATURE
• 1/2 CUP GRANULATED SUGAR
• 1/2 CUP BROWN SUGAR, PACKED
• 1 EGG
• 1 TSP VANILLA

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Preheat oven to 375 degrees 10 minutes before baking. Sift flour together 3 times

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with soda, baking powder and salt. Cream butters together until light, add both sugars and cream very thoroughly. Beat in egg, then stir in vanilla. Add flour in 2 or 3 portions, mixing until smooth after each. Chill dough for an hour or so.

Shape dough into balls (about a tablespoon each) and place 2 inches apart on baking sheet. Press twice with tines of fork, first dipped in cold water, to make crisscross pattern on top.

Bake 10-12 minutes or until delicately browned. Remove immediately from baking sheet to rack to cool.

Makes about 2-1/2 dozen.

Notes:
My family can eat a bunch of these, so I usually double the recipe.

Variations:
Try adding chocolate chips, M&M's or dry-roasted, unsalted peanuts (use creamy peanut butter if, adding your own peanuts).

Wheat Germ Snickerdoodles

If you prefer whole-wheat, this is the snickerdoodle for you!

• 1 CUP BUTTER, SOFTENED
• 1-1/2 CUPS BROWN SUGAR
• 2 EGGS
• 1 TEASPOON VANILLA
• 1/2 CUP WHEAT GERM
• 2-1/2 CUPS WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR
• 2 TEASPOONS BAKING POWDER
• 1/2 TEASPOON SALT
  

• 1/2 CUP BROWN SUGAR
• 1 TEASPOON CINNAMON

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Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cream butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Blend in the vanilla and wheat germ.

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt and stir into creamed mixture.

Combine the 1/2 cup brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.

Shape dough into balls the size of walnuts, and roll in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until completely set. Cool on a wire rack.

Makes 4-6 dozen cookies.

Snickerdoodles

Still favorites after all these years--kids love them!

• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2-3/4 cups Flour
• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
  

• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon

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Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Beat together 1-1/2 cups sugar, shortening, butter and eggs. Blend in flour, cream of tartar, soda and salt, and mix thoroughly.

Combine the 2 tablespoons of sugar and cinnamon. Shape dough into balls the size of walnuts, and roll in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until completely set. Remove
from sheet immediately and cool on wire rack.

Makes 4-6 dozen cookies.

Mexican Wedding Cakes

I’ve never had these at a wedding,

but they’re a favorite at Christmastime!

• 1 CUP BUTTER OR MARGARINE
• 1/2 CUP POWDERED SUGAR
• 1 TSP VANILLA OR ALMOND EXTRACT
• 2 CUPS FLOUR
• 1/4 TSP SALT
• 3/4 CUP FINELY CHOPPED NUTS
• ADDITIONAL POWDERED SUGAR FOR ROLLING

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Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Beat together butter, powdered sugar and vanilla. Work in flour, salt and nuts until dough holds together. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place on un­greased cookie sheet.

Bake 10-12 minutes or until set but not brown. While warm, roll in powdered sugar. Cool. Roll in sugar again.

Makes approximately 4 dozen.

Special Occasion Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate Chip Heaven for the Hardcore Chocoholic

• 1 CUP UNSALTED BUTTER, SOFTENED
• 1 CUP LIGHT BROWN SUGAR, PACKED
• 1 CUP DARK BROWN SUGAR, PACKED
• 1 TBLSP VANILLA
• 2 LARGE EGGS
• 2-1/2 CUPS FLOUR
• 2 TSP SALT
• 1 TSP BAKING POWDER
• 2 TBLSP CORIANDER (OPTIONAL)
• 2 CUPS WALNUT PIECES
• 3 CUPS SEMISWEET CHOCOLATE CHIPS

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Cream together butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time; stir in vanilla. Mix together flour, salt, baking powder, and coriander and stir into butter mixture. Mix in chocolate chips and walnuts. Chill dough for one hour.

Drop 1/3 cup measures of batter 3 inches apart on greased cookie sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Makes about 36 large cookies (you can use less dough and make smaller cookies, if desired).