Cookies
It’s been a while! Life has been busy and full of ups and downs the past couple years! My husband Jim was deployed to Afghanistan and got back just over a year ago. So with Jim being away and then returning we spent much of the time after he returned traveling and visiting family and friends we have finally started to settle down and get back into our normal routines.
We recently spent a few days in Cape Cod Massachusetts with friends. We went to Provincetown and did some shopping and dined at a terrific Italian restaurant on the water, visited the Mayflower and Plymouth Plantation. While we were there we purchased 3 pounds of fresh cranberries right from the bog. When we got home I could not wait to do some baking with all the cranberries. This cookie recipe is a new holiday favorite, I’m already planning to make them again! I shared them with some of our neighbors and they loved them as much as we did!
I made just a couple very small changes to the frosting recipe and you will see those notes in the recipe.
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup of butter softened
1 cup of sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup whole milk
1 large egg
2 Tablespoons orange juice
3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 1/2 cups fresh cranberries, chopped
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
FROSTING INGREDIENTS
1/3 cup butter
2 cups confectioner’s sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-4 Tablespoons hot water…..for this I used fresh squeezed orange juice (not warmed) I also added some of the zest from the orange.
DIRECTIONS
In a bowl cream butter and sugars. Add milk, egg and orange juice, mix well.
Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda and add into the creamed creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in cranberries and nuts.
Drop by Tablespoons 2 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees until golden brown, about 12-15 minutes. Cool on wire racks.
For the frosting-
Heat the butter in a saucepan over low heat until golden brown , about 5 minutes. Cool for a couple minutes and transfer to a bowl. Add the confectioner’s sugar and vanilla. Beat in the hot water or in my case fresh sneezed orange juice 1 Tablespoon at a time until frosting reaches desired consistency. I kept my frosting on the thicker side.
Frost the cookies and enjoy!
It’s always hard to find a good gluten-free cookie, especially store-bought so I find myself making them most of the time. Robby wanted cookies and asked for an oatmeal type cookie so that’s just what he got. Both Robby and I liked these cookies as did a couple of delivery drivers that I gave them to as they were warm and fresh from the oven when they were dropping off a purchase I had made. Although they did not speak English they did leave with a smile and lots of nods! Everyone can communicate through food!
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 rolled oats-gluten free
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2/3 cup chocolate chips, -I used Good Life
- flakey sea salt to sprinkle on top if desired
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray and set aside. In a small bowl mix together the oats and baking soda and set aside. In a large mixing bowl mix together the peanut butter, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Mix in dry ingredients, then gently fold in the chocolate chips.
Drop by tablespoons on to the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 9-12 minutes. Remove when the edges just begin to turn a light golden brown. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Sprinkle each with salt if desired (I did not do this step). Serve warm or at room temperature.
Enjoy!
My Mom, Lydia, and her Mom, my grandmother, has also been making these cookies for years. They have always been a favorite for so many people as we have given them out in cookie trays to friends, co-workers, and neighbors. This year I decided this would be part of my gift giving. These are easy enough even if you are like me and don’t care too much for baking. These are rich with that caramel goodness with a little crunch from the nuts. I made them without the cream of tartar for a softer caramel but if you want them with a bit more crunch go ahead and add the cream of tartar in at the same time you add the vanilla.
INGREDIENTS
35 (about) graham cracker squares
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (I used pecans)
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar-optional
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange graham cracker in a single layer on an ungreased 15 x 10 x 1-inch jelly roll pan. (I lined my pan with non-stick tin foil).
Heat brown sugar and butter until boiling, stir until well combined. Remove from heat stir in vanilla and cream of tartar if you are using it. Pour over the graham cracker covering all of them. Sprinkle the nuts evenly over the top. Bake until bubbly 8 – 10 minutes. Cool slightly and cut into squares. Using a spatula and a fork remove the squares onto non-stick tin foil. Be careful as the topping is still hot. Let cool completely.
Enjoy!
I’m always looking for recipes that I can make gluten-free for Robby and this is one of those recipes that simply by changing the flour to a gluten-free flour he was able to enjoy. He really liked these cookies and I did too and I don’t need to be gluten-free! So make this either way. This is one of those cookies that each of the flavors really shines, the banana came through just as much as those sweet chips!
INGREDIENTS
2 cups all-purpose flour or Bob’s Red Mill One to One gluten-free flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted, room temperature, butter
2 medium ripe bananas, peeled and mashed
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup peanut butter chips
DIRECTIONS
Whisk together the flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
Cream the butter, banana, and sugars together until well combined. Add the vanilla extract and mix until combined. Stir in the flour mixture, just until combined. Stir in the chocolate and peanut butter chips. Cover and refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees, spray two baking sheets with baking non-stick spray. Using a scoop or a spoon drop cookie dough (about 2 Tablespoons) onto the baking sheets and bake for 10-12 minutes, just when they start to turn a light golden brown on the top. Cool cookies on a baking rack and store in an airtight container.
Enjoy!
this recipe was found at www.momontimeout.com
This is one of the simplest cookie recipes I have seen or made. With Robby being gluten-free and can only have small amounts of dairy this quick easy recipe was perfect for me to make for him. But even though I made these with Robby in mind, both Jim and I enjoyed them as well. With just three ingredients it’s easy to make any time!
INGREDIENTS
1 large egg, beaten
1 cup of granulated sugar
1 cup of creamy peanut butter
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, mix all of the ingredients until well combined. Roll into balls, about 1 Tablespoon each.
Place on an ungreased baking sheet and flatten with a fork.
Bake for 18 minutes, remove to a wire rack to cool.
Enjoy!
