Cookie Recipes

SCOTCHAROOKIES

I wanted a bakery-style cookie with the taste and experience of a scotcharoo, so l made my own recipe! This yields 12 large cookies. To make two dozen smaller cookies, cut the baking time to 15-17 minutes.

-Ellen Mathewson, Bartonville, IL

Recipe
Prep: 30 min.
Bake: 25 min./batch + cooling
Makes: 1 dozen

1 cup butter-flavored shortening
½ cup butter, softened
¾ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup creamy peanut butter
2 large eggs, room temperature 
¼  cup light corn syrup
3½ cups all-purpose flour
1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) instant butterscotch pudding mix
2 ½  tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cornstarch
½ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
1 cup Rice Krispies
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
½ cup butterscotch chips

Instructions 
1. Preheat oven to 300°. In a large bowl, beat shortening, butter, brown sugar and peanut butter until smooth. Beat in eggs and corn syrup. In another bowl, whisk the flour, pudding mix, baking powder, cornstarch, baking soda and salt. Gradually beat into peanut butter mixture. Stir in the Rice Krispies.

2.  Shape dough into 12 balls. Place 4-in. apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Press the tops to flatten to 1-in. thickness. Bake until tops appear dry, 22-24 minutes. Let cool on pans for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

3.  In a small bowl, melt chocolate and butterscotch chips together; stir until smooth. Spread over tops of cookies. Sprinkle with additional Rice Krispies cereal. Let stand until set.

FREEZE OPTION Freeze flattened portions of dough on parchment-lined baking sheets until firm. Transfer to freezer containers; return to freezer. To use, bake cookies as directed.

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CREME DE MENTHE CHEESECAKE COOKIES

Some say these are the best cookies they've ever had! They're such a cinch to put together with just five ingredients, and so easy to vary. Stir in your favorite baking chips and change up the decorations to suit any holiday.

—Sheila Sporn, Houston, TX

Recipe 
Prep: 15 min.
Bake: 15 min./batch + cooling
Makes: 4 dozen

1 tube (16½ oz.) refrigerated sugar cookie dough
6 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 large egg, room temperature
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1½ cups Andes creme de menthe baking chips
Optional: Green candy coating disks and sprinkles

Instructions 
1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, beat cookie dough and flour until blended and dough is softened. Beat in egg. Add cream cheese; beat until smooth. Stir in Andes chips. (Dough will be soft.)

2. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake until bottoms are golden brown, 11-13 minutes.

Cool 2 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

3. If decorating cookies, melt candy coating in a microwave. Cut a small hole in the tip of a pastry bag; insert a small round pastry tip. Fill the bag with melted coating. Pipe designs onto cookies; decorate with sprinkles,




CHEERY CHERRY COOKIES

With a tall glass of ice-cold milk, a couple of these cookies really hit the spot for dessert or a snack. The coconut and bits of cherries provide a fun look and texture.

-Judy Clark, Elkhart, IN

Recipe
Prep: 10 min.
Bake: 10 min./batch
Makes: 4 dozen

½ cup packed brown sugar
¾ cup butter, softened
1 large egg, room temperature
2 Tbsp. 2% milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract cups all-purpose tloun
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. baking soda
½ cup maraschino cherries, well drained, chopped
½ cup sweetened shredded coconut
½ cup chopped pecans

Instructions 
1. In a large bowl, cream brown sugar and butter until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes.Beat in the egg, milk and vanilla. In another bowl, mix the flour, salt and baking soda; gradually beat into the creamed mixture.

Stir in the cherries, coconut and pecans.

2. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375° for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool





SPUMONI SLICES

My sweet rectangles get their name from the old-fashioned tricolored ice cream. Our whole family loves them.

—Mary Chupp, Chattanooga, TN

Recipe
Prep: 40 min. + chilling
Bake: 5 min./batch + cooling
Makes: 7 dozen

1 cup butter, softened
1½ cups confectioners' sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 oz. semisweet chocolate, melted cup chopped
½ cup chopped pecans 
3 to 5 drops green food coloring
¼ cup finely chopped candied red cherries
½ tsp. almond extract
3 to 5 drops red food coloring

Instructions 
1. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually add the flour and mix well. Divide dough into 3 portions. Stir chocolate into 1 portion. Add pecans and green food coloring to the second portion. Add cherries, almond extract and red food coloring to the third.

2. Roll each portion between 2 pieces of waxed paper into an 8x6-in. rectangle.Remove waxed paper. Top the chocolate rectangle with green and pink rectangles; press together lightly. Wrap and refrigerate overnight.

3. Preheat the oven to 375°. Cut chilled dough in half lengthwise. Return 1 rectangle to the refrigerator. Cut the remaining rectangle into ⅛ ~ in. slices. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets.

4. Bake until set, 5-7 minutes. Cool for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough.




GINGERBREAD KISSES

Whether you call them kisses or hugs, these cookies show nothing but love when served warm from the oven. IThey're typically made with a peanut butter dough, but ginger and spices in these are a fun Christmastime spin.

—Nancy Zimmerman, Cape May Court House, NJ

Recipe 
Prep: 35 min. + chilling
¼ cup butter, softened
¾cup packed brown sugar

1 large egg, room temperature
1/2 cup molasses
3 cups all-purpose flour 
1 tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
¼ cup sugar
60 milk chocolate or striped chocolate kisses, unwrapped 

Instructions 
1. Cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Gradually beat in egg and molasses. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt and spices; gradually beat into the creamed mixture.

Refrigerate, covered, until firm enough to shape, about 4 hours.

2. Preheat the oven to 350°. Shape dough into sixty 1-in. balls; roll in sugar. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake until lightly browned, 8-10 minutes,

3. Press a chocolate kiss immediately into the center of each cookie. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.





ICED ORANGE CUTOUTS

I put a tablespoon of orange zest in both the dough and icing to make these crispy cookies nice and bright, like little rays of sunshine.

—Wendy Montecalvo, Pleasantville, NJ

Recipe 
Prep: 45 min. + chilling
Bake: 10 min./batch + cooling
Makes: about 4 dozen

2½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup sugar
1 to 2 Tbsp. grated orange zest
1 cup cold butter, cubed
2 to 4 Tbsp. ice water

ICING
3 cups confectioners' sugar
¼ cup orange juice
1 Tbsp. grated orange zest

Instructions 
1. Whisk flour, sugar and orange zest; cut in butter until crumbly. Gradually add ice water, tossing with a fork until dough holds together when pressed. Knead gently until dough forms. Divide dough in half; shape each into a disk. Wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

2. Preheat the oven to 350°. On a lightly floured surface, gently roll dough to ⅞-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 2¼-in. scalloped or plain round cookie cutter. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake until bottoms are light brown, 10-12 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

3. For icing, mix confectioners' sugar, orange juice and zest until smooth.

Spread over the cookies. Let stand at room temperature until set.