Peanut Butter Nugget Cookies

Who doesn't love peanut butter and chocolate? Throw some almonds and toffee on top and I'm sold. Taste of Home says, "Baking cookies to share doesn't get much easier than this. Stir together four ingredients. Bake. Top with a nugget." I couldn't agree more with that statement. Share these cookies with neighbors and friends this holiday season and they will surely thank you.

Adapted from Taste of Home Nov. 2011

You Will Need:

• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 12 toffee nuggets; halved

Here We Go:

• In a large bowl, cream peanut butter and sugar until light and fluffy
• Add the eggs and vanilla; beat until ingredients are blended
• Roll into 1 1/4 inch balls
• Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets
• Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until top are slightly cracked
• Immediately press one chocolate nugget halve into the center of each cookie
• Cool for five minutes before removing from pans to wire racks

Makes 2 dozen cookies
Happy Feasting!

Shortbread Cookies with Raspberry Jam

The September issue of bon appetit was "The Restaurant Issue". It was chocked full of sweet and savory recipes from world renowned chefs across America. These shortbread cookies caught my eye because they reminded me of one of my favorite childhood cookies, Pepperidge Farm's Verona. I bet that you already have all of these ingredients in your pantry and if you are not a fan of raspberry jam feel free to substitute with another flavor but I will say that the raspberry is divine!

Source: bon appetit September 2011

You Will Need:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 10 1/2 Tbsp salted butter, room temperature
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 large egg
• 3 Tbsp raspberry jam

Here We Go:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees
• Whisk flour, sugar and baking powder in large bowl
• Add butter; using your fingertips, rub in butter until coarse meal forms
• Whisk egg and yolk in a bowl; add to flour mixture; stir to blend
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper
• Measure dough by 2 Tbsp and roll into balls
• Place on prepared sheets about 2 inches apart
• Make an indentation in center of each ball and fill with 1/2 tsp jam
• Bake cookies until golden brown, about 12-14 minutes
• Transfer to wire rack to cool

Makes about 16 cookies
Happy Feasting!

M&M Cookies

What a weekend! Not only did we get our new yellow lab puppy this weekend, but I was also at a bachelorette party in Charleston, SC. Although I feel a little sleep deprived this morning, from staying up too late with girlfriends and a crying puppy last night, I thought I would share these M&M cookies with you this morning. No matter how tired you might have been this morning when you woke up, or how long your work week might seem ahead of you, these cookies are sure to put a smile on your face.

Source: The Joy of Baking

You Will Need:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2/3 cup granulated white sugar
• 2/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 1/2 tsp pure vanillaextract
• 1 cup M&M's^® candies

Here We Go:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
• Place one oven rack in the top third of the oven, and one oven rack in the bottom third of the oven and line two baking sheets with parchment paper
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt
• In another bowl, beat the butter and sugars until light and fluffy (about 2 - 3 minutes) with wooden spoon or hand mixer
• Add the egg and egg yolk, beating until well combined
• Beat in the vanilla extract
• Gradually add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and beat just until incorporated
• Gently fold M&M's^® into the dough mixture
• Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed
• Form dough into balls, using tablespoon for each cookie
• Bake the cookies for about 10 - 13 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through the baking time
• The cookies are done when they are light golden brown in color and just set
• Remove from oven and let the cookies cool a few minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack to cool
  

 

Makes roughly 40 cookies
Happy Feasting!

Toffee and Chocolate Chip Cookies

Last night we had our neighborhood summer picnic. Being that we are new to the neighborhood, we thought that it would be a good idea to go and meet some of our neighbors. It ended up being great fun, despite the miserable heat, and we got the chance to meet a lot of people. Everyone was asked to bring a dish and I thought that cookies might be a good thing to make since whatever I made would be sitting out in the ninety degree weather all evening. These cookies were quite the hit if I might say! Kids and adults seemed to gobble them up. This recipe will make about 45 cookies and when we left the party I would say that there were about 5 still on the plate. So if you like english toffee and chocolate chips then you are sure to love these cookies!

Source: Love and Olive Oil

You Will Need:

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 1/2 cups english toffee (I used Heath bar candy bits)

Here We Go:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
• In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt and whisk to combine and set aside
• In another large bowl, cream the butter and the sugars until smooth, about 3 minutes and add the egg and mix well
• Add the vanilla extract and the flour mixture and beat thoroughly
• Stir in the toffee and chocolate chips
• Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets, leaving several inches between for expansion
• Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned
• Cool the cookies on the sheets for 1 minute, then transfer to a rack to cool completely

 

Makes roughly 42 cookies
Happy Feasting!

6 Ingredient Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies are so easy and delicious. With only six ingredients, I almost guarantee that you have everything you will need already in your pantry. One of my friends made these cookies and after my first bite I knew I had to get the recipe (thank you Alison!).If you are in need of a chocolate and peanut butter fix, give these cookies a try - you will love them!

You Will Need:

• 1 (18 oz) jar crunchy peanut butter
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 (11.5oz) bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

Here We Go:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Stir together first 5 ingredients with spoon or spatula
• Add chocolate chips
• Roll into small balls and bake for 8-12 minutes

Makes 30 Cookies (depending on size)

Happy Feasting!

Cran - Raisin Oatmeal Cookies

It has been raining ALL day today! I have ventured out of the house once and I feel no reason to go out again. I've been wanting to make oatmeal raison cookies and I figured, without much else to do today, why not make them. I decided to use half as much raisins as the recipe calls for and add in some craisins. The sweetness of the raisins mixed with the tartness of the craisins was the perfect combo!

Adapted from two peas and their pod

You Will Need:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2/3 cup light brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 3/4 tsp. cinnamon
• Dash of nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup of raisins
• 1/2 cup craisins

Here We Go:

• Preheat oven to 350°F
• In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, egg and vanilla until smooth and creamy
• In a separate small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt
• Add the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar mixture and blend until combined
• Stir in the oats, raisins and craisins
• Spoon a heaping tablespoon of dough into a round ball, leaving space between each cookie
• Bake them for 10 to 12 minutes
• Take them out when they are golden at the edges but still a little under baked in the middle
• Let them sit on the hot baking sheet for five minutes before transferring them to cooling rack

Makes 2 1/2 dozen cookies
Happy Feasting!

The "Perfect" Chocolate Chip Cookie

Who doesn't love a chocolate chip cookie? The smell of chocolate chip cookies baking in the oven is pretty hard to beat. I have searched far and wide for the "perfect" chocolate chip cookie recipe. Up until now, I was pretty positive that no one could beat the Nestle Toll House recipe that is on the back of the chocolate chip bag. I promise you, though, that these cookies have done it! This recipe from Smitten Kitchen (Originally adapted from AllRecipes.com) is unreal. These cookies are moist, chewy in the middle and when you take your first bite you get that "perfect" crunch that you had been hoping for. So here it is people, the "perfect" choc-o-chip cookie!

You Will Need:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Here We Go:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F
• Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper
• Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
• In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended
• Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy and mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended
• Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon

• Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time onto the prepared cookie sheets
• Cookies should be about 3 inches apart
• Bake for 13-15 minutes if your cookies are larger, or 10-12 minutes for smaller cookies
• I would check the cookies after 10 minutes just to be sure you don't overcook them!
• Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.



Makes 2 1/2 Dozen
Happy Feasting!