Peanut Butter Cup Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies are oh. so. good.  I found the recipe because it had, of course, been pinned.  Then I realized it was originally posted on Tatertots & Jello which is one of my favorite blogs.  The original recipe is HERE. 

2 sticks softened butter
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 3.4 oz box of vanilla instant pudding
1 cup milk chocolate chips
25 mini Reese's peanut butter cups

Preheat oven to 375.

Peel the peanut butter cups and cut them into fourths...do not chop!  You don't want them to completely fall apart.  Then stick them in the freezer while you do the next steps of making the dough.  This will prevent them from completely melting into the dough by getting them nice and firm.

Beat the butter, sugars and vanilla in a large bowl (I used my mixer).  Add the eggs and beat until creamy.  Then add the rest of the dry ingredients including the instant pudding.

Add and stir in the chocolate chips.  Finally add the peanut butter cups and gently fold them in with a wooden spoon.

Drop teaspoons of the batter onto a cookie sheet.  I baked mine for 8 minutes and then let them sit another 2 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.  Do not overcook.  They will get harder as they cool.

Pour yourself a large glass of milk and savor each bite...

Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies

Another online recipe I can thank both Pinterest and ModHousewife for recommending.  The original recipe is from Love Veggies and Yoga.  It is posted as half of what I made and also includes a cream cheese frosting.  I have to agree with ModHousewife that I prefer a buttercream frosting.  Charlotte and I made a batch to take to her classmates for her birthday. 

 
Ingredients:

1 stick butter (softened)
2 eggs
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
1 Strawberry cake mix

Preheat oven to 350.  In a mixing bowl, cream the butter.  Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well.  Add Strawberry cake mix until well blended.  For best results put the cookie dough into the freezer for 15-20 minutes.  This will help the dough from spreading so much while baking. 

When ready, form 1-inch balls onto a cookie sheet that is greased or use parchment paper.  Be sure to leave enough space for some spreading.  Do not overcrowd the cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes.  Cookies may seem undercooked (not completely firm) but take them out and let them finish on the cookie sheet a few minutes before transferring to cooling rack.  Do not overbake.  I made about 36 cookies using this recipe.

These are really tasty as is.  However, you can spruce them up by adding a frosting after they are cooled and some sprinkles.  I made the frosting I used on my Christmas cookies.  That recipe is HERE.  I added 2 more tablespoons of milk (5 total) to make it even creamier.  Then a few red sprinkles finished it off!

Gooey Butter Cookies

8 oz. softened cream cheese (I used 1/3 less fat)
1/2 stick softened butter
1 egg yolk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 yellow butter cake mix
Powdered sugar

Mix first 5 ingredients together and refrigerate for 2 hours. Form into balls (will be very sticky - put extra powdered sugar on your hands to roll easier) and roll completely in powdered sugar. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet for 8-10 minutes at 350º.

They will look/seem undercooked, but pull them out and put on cooling rack.

They will be PERFECT!

These are really good served cold.

From ModHousewife: http://www.modhousewife.com/2011/12/gooey-butter-cookies/

Betty Crocker's Sugary Gingerbread-Oat Chews

This recipe can also be found here: http://www.recipe.com/sugary-gingerbread-oat-chews/

Makes about 2 1/2 dozen. Can be doubled.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
3 tablespoons molasses
2 teaspoons ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 egg
1 pouch Betty Crocker® oatmeal cookie mix (1 pound 1.5 ounces)
1/3 cup coarse sugar (I used regular sugar)

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F. In large bowl, beat butter, molasses, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and egg with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add cookie mix; beat until soft dough forms.

2. The dough will be very sticky.  Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll balls in sugar. On ungreased cookie sheets, place balls 2 inches apart.

3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are light golden brown.

4. Cool 5 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Store in tightly covered container.

Thumbprint Cookies

1 pkg. (8 oz.) softened Cream Cheese
¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) softened butter
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
2 ¼ cup flour
½ tsp. baking soda

Beat cream cheese, butter, granulated sugar and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add flour and baking soda; mix well. Add 1 cup finely chopped pecans. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place on ungreased baking sheets. Indent centers. Bake 10 minutes. Fill each cookie with about 1 tsp. of your favorite preserves. Continue baking 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.

Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

Peanut Butter Munchies

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup butter
¼ cup peanut butter
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
¾ cup sifted powdered sugar
½ cup peanut butter

 Preaheat oven to 350. In a medium bowl stir together flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda; set aside.

 In a large mixing bowl beat butter and the ¼ cup peanut butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugars; beat until combined. Beat in egg, milk and vanilla. Beat in as much of the flour mixture as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour mixture. Shape into 32 (1 ¼ inch) balls; set aside.

 For filling, in a medium bowl combine powdered sugar and the ½ cup peanut butter until smooth. Shape into 32 (3/4 inch) balls.

 For each cookie, slightly flatten a chocolate ball and top with a peanut butter ball. Shape chocolate dough completely around filling; roll into a ball. Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Lightly flatten with bottom of a glass dipped in additional granulated sugar.

 Bake about 8 minutes or just until set and slightly cracked. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute. Transfer to a wire rack; cool. Makes 32 cookies.

Christmas Cut-Outs Icing

1/2 cup butter softened
3 cups confectioner's 10x powdered sugar
3 tablespoons of milk
1 teaspoon of vanilla
food coloring

Cream butter. Add remaining ingredients and continue creaming until mixture is well blended and light and fluffy.

Split into bowls and add food coloring.

Will cover about 70-90 cut-outs depending on the shapes.

Christmas Cut-Outs

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar

4 eggs
3 tsp water
1 tsp vanilla

6 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp nutmeg

You will need 3 bowls. In the largest bowl, cream butter well. Then add white sugar and brown sugar slowly to the butter and cream well. I usually do this one in the mixer.

In the second bowl, beat eggs and add water and vanilla.

In the third bowl, mix and sift the remaining dry ingredients.

Add alternately the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients to the creamed butter and sugar.

At the end you will have to use your hands to shape the dough into a large ball. Chill dough at least 1 hour before rolling it out.

Roll on floured surface and cut with cookie cutters.

Bake about 7-8 minutes on 350.

Cool and icing. See Cut-Out Icing for recipe.

Meltaway Cookies

1 cup soft butter
1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 cup sifted flour
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 400. Mix thoroughly: butter, powdered sugar and vanilla. Sift flour and salt and then stir into first mixture. Roll into tsp size balls and drop onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake about 8-12 minutes until set but not too brown. While still warm, roll them in more powdered sugar!

Glazed Toffee Bonbons

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 bars (1.4 oz each) chocolate-covered English toffee candy finely chopped (I used Heath bars)

Glaze:
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 1/3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup white vanilla baking chips

Heat oven to 325 degrees. In large bowl, beat 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, the vanilla and egg with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. On low speed, beat in four, baking soda and salt. Reserve 1/3 of the chopped candy for garnish. Stir remaining chopped candy into dough. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. On ungreased cookie sheets, place balls 1 inch apart.

Bake 11 to 14 minutes or until edges start to brown and tops of cookies feel set when tapped. Place cooling racks on waxed paper. Immediately remove cookies from cookie sheets to cooling racks.

Meanwhile in 1-quart saucepan, heat 1/4 cup butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar and 2 tablespoons of milk over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until mixture just comes to a boil and sugar is dissolved. Stir in powdered sugar; beat with wire whisk if necessary to remove lumps. Immediately dip tops of cookies into glaze, or spread glaze on tops of cookies. (Cookies don't need to be completely cooled, just firm and set.) Place on rack; let stand about 10 minutes until glaze is set. If glaze starts to set in saucepan, reheat over medium-low heat and beat with whisk until softened.

Place chocolate chips and vanilla chips in separate small microwavable bowls. Microwave each on High 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted and smooth. Using tip of spoon, drizzle each flavor generously over cookies. Sprinkle with remaining candy. Refrigerate 20 minutes to set quickly.