2  1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs
2 cups chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, sugars and vanilla in large mixer bowl; beat until creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually mix in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Use cookie scoop to drop onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 2 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool.

These cookies are really different, and if you like peanuts, you’ll love ‘em!

1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups pack brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp soda
1 tsp salt
2 cups salted peanuts

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix shortening, butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla thoroughly. Blend flour, soda and salt; stir in. Mix in peanuts. Drop by rounded teaspoons or use cookie scoop, placing 2″ apart on greased cookie sheet. Flatten with bottom of greased glass dipped in sugar. Bake 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.

1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter
1 cup peanut butter (smooth or crunchy–your choice!)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Mix shortening, butter, peanut butter, sugars and eggs thoroughly. Blend dry ingredients; stir into butter mixture. Roll dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. Place on greased cookie sheet. Flatten crisscross style with fork dipped in flour. Bake in 375 degree oven for 10-12 minutes.

For a special cookie, I melt a few squares of Ghirardelli dipping chocolate until smooth and runny. With pastry brush, paint 1/2 of the top of each cookie with chocolate. Place on wire rack or parchment paper to dry. They look wonderful and the combo of peanut butter and chocolate is fabulous!

1 1/2 cup shortening
2 cups brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1/2 cup molasses
4 1/2 cups flour
4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cloves
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp ginger
granulated sugar

Mix shortening, sugar, eggs and molasses thoroughly. Blend dry ingredients; stir into shortening mixture. Chill dough. Roll dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. Dip tops into granulated sugar. Place balls, sugared side up, on greased cookie sheet. Sprinkle each with 2-3 drops of water. Bake @ 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes or just until set but not hard. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

3/4 cup butter
2 cups quick oatmeal
1 1/4 cups flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/3 cup dark corn syrup
1/2 to 1 cup chocolate chips

Melt butter in saucepan. Add remaining ingredients except peanut butter and chocolate chips. Press into bottom of greased 13×9-inch pan.

Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until light golden brown. (Do not overbake.) Spoon peanut butter over hot bars. Melt chocolate chips with 2 Tbsp shortening over hot water (or in microwave). Drizzle over peanut butter.

1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/8 tsp baking soda
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
1 cup coconut
1 cup chopped pecans

In medium bowl, beat shortening and butter with electric mixer for 30 seconds to blend. Add sugars and baking soda. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl. Add egg and vanilla. Mix in flour until combined, then stir in coconut and nuts. Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool cookies for 1 minute on cookie sheet before transferring them to cooling rack.

from Sunset Magazine

1 cup butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup peanut butter
2 large eggs
2 Tbsp vanilla
2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
12 oz chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl with a mixer on medium speed, cream butter and sugars until smooth. Add peanut butter and mix until combined; then add eggs and vanilla, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.

In another bowl, whisk together oats, flour and baking soda. Add to butter mixture and mix on low until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoons 1inch apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned but still soft in the center. Note: I flattened the dough balls slightly before baking.

½ cup butter, melted
1 ½ cup graham cracker crumbs
1 (7 oz) can flaked coconut
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch morsels
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup chopped pecans

Pour melted butter into a 9×13 inch baking pan. Add graham cracker crumbs, spreading evenly over butter, then layer chocolate chips, butterscotch morsels, condensed milk, then pecans in the order listed. Do not stir together! Bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. While still warm, run knife around edge of pan to loosen; cut into bars. (Using a bench scraper makes it easy to cut them!) Cool before removing from pan.

(makes a couple dozen or so, depending on the size of your cutters)

2 3/4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

In mixer, stir together the dry ingredients; add butter, eggs and vanilla. Mix well, until throughly blended. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Roll out 1/4″-3/8″ thick, depending on how crisp you like them. Cut into desired shapes. (The dough handles beautifully! Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes. I like to bake them until lightly golden around the edges. Cool on wire rack, then decorate to your little heart’s content.

FROSTING

1/4 cup butter
3 cups powdered sugar
4-6 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
Food coloring, if desired (just add the tiniest bit for pastel colors)

I hope you try these sometime, and let me know if you do! They are really fun to make. Please enjoy.

1/2 cup shortening (you can use part butter)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
Raspberry Jam (or your favorite)

Mix shortening, sugar, eggs and vanilla until creamy. In separate bowl, blend dry ingredients together. Add gradually to shortening mixture until well blended. Cover dough with plastic wrap and chill for at least one hour.

Roll dough 1/16 inch thick on lightly floured surface. Cut into desired shapes, cutting two alike for each cookie. Use a tiny heart or other shape to cut the center out of the top layer. Place the bottom piece on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Spread a rounded teaspoon of jam in the center, then place the top of the cookie over the jam. Press the edges with the tines of a fork to seal. Repeat with the remaining dough. Bake in preheated 400 degree oven for 10-15 minutes, depending on size of cookie, or until golden brown. If desired lightly sift with confectioner’s sugar before serving.

I always double this recipe because they disappear quickly, and they are wonderful cookies to share. Please enjoy!

1 cup dark molasses
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 tsp. ginger
4 tsp. cinnamon
2 1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
6 cups flour

Place the molasses, sugar, ginger and cinnamon in a double boiler over medium heat. When the sugar has melted (lost its graininess), add the baking soda and stir. When the mixture bubbles up, remove from heat. Place butter in a large mixing bowl. Add the hot molasses mixture and stir well. Let the mixture cool to about 90 degrees, then add the egg. Gradually add the flour, 1 cup at a time, while beating. The dough will be quite stiff, so use a stand mixer (I use a KitchenAid) if you have one. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll 1/3 of the dough on lightly floured surface until about 1/4 inch thick. Cut into shapes with cookie cutters. Repeat with remaining dough. Place on baking sheets and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until firm to the touch. Bake them the shorter time if you like them a bit softer. Cool on racks.

These cookies are wonderful plain or decorated with your favorite royal icing. I make ornaments for our Christmas tree by using a straw to cut a hole into the top of the cookie before baking. Insert grosgrain ribbon, natural raffia, or rough twine (looks rustic!) to hang them on the tree. If you wrap them carefully to prevent breakage, they’ll last from year to year.

1 1/2 cups softened butter
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 egg
4 cups flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Cream butter and brown sugar, then add egg. Beat until light and fluffy. Stir flour with spices and baking soda and nuts; add to creamed mixture; mix well. Cover and chill until firm enough to roll, about 2 hours. On lightly floured surface, roll dough into 1/8 inch thickness. Cut into shapes with cookie cutters. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on rack.

I like to use cookie cutters in fall shapes like leaves, bears, acorns or pumpkins. Enjoy!

1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups butter
3 eggs
4 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped macadamia nuts
1 pkg (12 oz.) white chocolate chips

Cream sugars and butter until fluffy. Add eggs, continuing to beat until very light. Add flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix well, adding vanilla, then stir in nuts and white chocolate. Drop by large cookie scoop onto greased cookie sheet. Bake in preheated oven at 350° until golden brown. Cool on wire rack.