Snickerdoodles

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cream of tartar

Directions:
In a shallow bowl, combine 1 tablespoon sugar and cinnamon; set aside. Cream butter; gradually add 1 1/2 cups sugar, beating well. Add eggs; beat well. Stir in vanilla.

In a separate bowl, sift together flour, soda, salt and cream of tartar. Add sifted ingredients to creamed mixture; stir until well blended.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls and roll in cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place snickerdoodles 2 inches apart on lightly greased baking sheets.

Bake snickerdoodles at 400° for 6 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool. Makes approximately 4 dozen snickerdoodles.

Easy Granola Cookies

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup orange juice
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup granola cereal
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup quick cooking rolled oats

Directions:
Into a large mixing bowl, measure flour, sugar, butter, orange juice, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and egg. With electric mixer at low speed, beat ingredients until well blended, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in granola, raisins, and oats.

Drop dough onto greased cookie sheet with teaspoon, about 2 inches apart. Smooth mounds slightly with fingers. Bake at 350° for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove to rack with spatula and let cool completely. Store in tightly covered container for up to 1 week.

Granola Cookie Recipe

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup orange juice
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup granola cereal
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup quick cooking rolled oats

Directions:
Into a large mixing bowl, measure flour, sugar, butter, orange juice, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and egg. With electric mixer at low speed, beat ingredients until well blended, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in granola, raisins, and oats.

Drop dough onto greased cookie sheet with teaspoon, about 2 inches apart. Smooth mounds slightly with fingers. Bake at 350° for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove to rack with spatula and let cool completely. Store in tightly covered container for up to 1 week.

Cinnamon Spice Drop Cookies

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups butter flavored shortening
2 cups light brown sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups cinnamon chips
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter flavored shortening, light brown sugar and dark brown sugar. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the milk and vanilla, blending until the mixture is light and fluffy. Combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda and salt; stir into the batter until well blended. Mix in cinnamon chips and if using, pecans. Drop rounded spoonfuls of dough onto the prepared cookie sheets about 2 inches apart.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, just until the cookies lose their gloss. Remove from the cookie sheets to wire racks to cool.
Makes approximately 48 cookies.

Easy Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients. Roll rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls, and place onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden. Let stand on cookie sheet two minutes before removing to cool on wire racks.
Makes approximately 48 cookies.

Classic Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup white sugar for decoration

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

In a medium bowl, cream together butter, peanut butter, 1/2 cup white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in egg, then stir in vanilla. Gradually blend in the sifted ingredients. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Roll in remaining sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Criss-cross with fork tines.

Bake at for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Cool slightly, and remove from pan. Oven temperatures may vary, check cookies at the 8 minute mark, to avoid dryness.

Monica's Butter Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar for dusting
1 cup chocolate flavored confectioners coating

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.

In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the vanilla and then the flour to form a soft dough. Roll the dough into walnut sized balls. Place the cookies 2 inches apart onto the cookie sheet. Flatten each cookie to 1/4 inch thick using the bottom of a glass dipped in confectioners' sugar.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until the edges are just beginning to brown. Do not over cook. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.

Melt the coating chocolate over a double boiler or in the microwave, stirring frequently until smooth. Spread chocolate onto the bottom of each cookie. Place cookies chocolate side down onto waxed paper until set.
Makes 24 cookies.

Liz's Macaroons

Ingredients:
4 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 1/4 cups white sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups flaked coconut

Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Grease and flour cookie sheet.

In a medium bowl, beat egg whites, vanilla extract, almond extract, and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar, and whip until stiff. Toss together flour, salt, and coconut in a separate bowl; fold into egg whites. Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheet.

Bake 18 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until slightly golden. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for easy removal.

Pecan Clouds

Ingredients:
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 cups pecan halves

Directions:
Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Lightly grease a cookie sheet.

In a large glass or metal mixing bowl, beat egg whites to soft peaks. Gradually add sugar, continuing to beat until whites form stiff peaks. Stir in vanilla and pecans. Drop mounded spoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheet.

Bake 1 hour in the preheated oven. Turn off heat, and allow to remain in oven at least another 30 minutes, or until the centers of cookies are dry. For chewy cookies, allow to cool on rack.

Cheesecake Cookies

Ingredients:
3/4 cup butter
1 package (3 oz) cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoons finely shredded lemon peel
2 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs, finely crushed

Directions:
Beat butter and cream cheese, Add sugar, lemon peel, lemon juice, and vanilla. Beat in Flour. Divide dough into two portions. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.
Shape each portion of dough into 8-inch long roll. Combine chopped nuts and graham cracker crumbs on a large piece of waxed paper. Roll the 2 dough rolls in this mixture, coating well. Wrap each roll in waxed paper chill for at least 2 hours.

Cut dough into 1/4 in slices. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375° 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on racks.

Makes approximately 5 dozen cookies.