Lemon Crinkle Cookies

Citrus season is fast approaching in the AZ and our neighbors have a lemon tree that hangs over the fence near our pool. The lemons are still green, but they have given us free reign to pick any lemons on our side, so in honor of that, I wanted to share our favorite way ever to use lemons. My kids request these cookies on a regular basis, and it is rare that they last longer than a few hours around this place! Since you roll them in powdered sugar the kids love to help too, which is really fun. I found this recipe on pinterest and you can check it out at the original source with gorgeous photos to boot.

Makes 2-3 dozen small cookies

½ cups butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
½ tsp. vanilla extract
1 egg
1 tsp. lemon zest
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. baking powder
⅛ tsp. baking soda
1-½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add vanilla, egg, lemon zest, and juice. Scrape sides and mix again. Add salt, baking powder, baking soda and flour and mix until just combined. Scrape sides of bowl and mix again briefly. Pour powdered sugar onto a large plate. Roll a heaping teaspoon of dough into a ball and roll in powdered sugar. Place on baking sheet and repeat with remaining dough.

Bake for 9-11 minutes or until bottoms begin to barely brown and cookies look matte {not melty or shiny}. Remove from oven and cool cookies about 3 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

*If using a non-stick darker baking tray, reduce baking time by about 2 minutes.

Easy Lemon Cookies

I needed a quick treat to make for visiting teaching this month, and I saw this recipe on one of my favorite cooking blogs, Boy Cheese Sandwich.  It took me about 30 minutes, including clean up, to have a tasty treat ready to go.

1 lemon cake mix
2 eggs
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350.  With a mixer, combine cake mix, eggs, and oil (dough will be stiff).  Roll tablespoon-sized balls in powdered sugar, then place on greased or parchment-lined cookie sheets (I fit 12 on a sheet, as the dough didn't spread much).  Bake for 6-8 minutes (I did 8), or until just starting to crack.  Let cool for 2 minutes on sheets, then cool completely on racks.  Makes about 2 1/2 dozen.

Soft Sugar Cookies

 *Please excuse bad pictures and sloppy frosting job--I was in a hurry!*

There are many wonderful sugar cookie recipes out there--this one's my favorite. The technique is a little different from most recipes, and I think it really makes a difference. I like my sugar cookies soft and thick, but not cake-like, and since these aren't overly sweet, they are the perfect vehicle for vanilla buttercream. I love them so much that self-control becomes a bit of a problem, so I usually only make them twice a year--Valentine's Day and Halloween.


5 cups flour
2 cups shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup sour cream
2 tsp. vanilla
1 heaping tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs, beaten

Sift together flour, sugar, and salt, then pour into mixing bowl.  Cut in 2 cups shortening (I use 2 butter knives and just slice back and forth until the shortening is in small pieces, then I quickly use the flat beater and my mixer on low until the shortening is about the size of peas).   Add in eggs, vanilla, sour cream, and baking soda until thoroughly combined (but don't overmix).  Wrap in plastic and chill in refrigerator for at least an hour.  Roll on floured surface to desired thickness (I like between 1/4 and 1/2 inch).  Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes, until edges are firm and just starting to brown (don't overbake).  Makes 48-60 cookies, depending on size and thickness.

Flavorful Sugar Cookies

The kids were determined to make sugar cookies for Santa...like ask-me-every-day-25-times-until-I-finally-cave-and-make-them determined. The catch is...I'm not in LOVE with my sugar cookie recipe and it makes a gazillion cookies. So, when they finally convinced me, I went to my new favorite resource - Our Best Bites - and found this amazing sugar cookie recipe! It did not dissapoint. I also tried a "soft cookie" recipe with sour cream, and while they were delicious too, this one was definitely my favorite. They are ultra flavorful even without frosting, hold their shape so well, and with the trick from the recipe, SO EASY to cut into shapes! I may even be willing to do sugar cookies more than once a year! Plus, it doesn't make a gazillion cookies...just a normal size batch.

1 cup butter (2 sticks)
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp. almond extract (or other flavor, like vanilla or peppermint or whatever your heart desires - I used 1 tsp vanilla and 1/2 tsp almond extract)
3 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Cream the butter and sugar (make sure it is light and fluffy before you stop whipping!). Add in egg and extract and mix. Add baking powder and salt. Mix. Add flour gradually until completely mixed.

Chill dough for about an hour... OR make your life so so so much easier by doing this:

Place a ball of dough between two sheets of parchment paper and roll the dough flat. This way you won't have to add more flour, and you won't have to attempt to roll cold dough. :) Chill for about 20-30 minutes on a flat surface in your fridge, then peel off the top layer of parchment paper and start cutting out your shapes. Ummm...yeah, I love this part. No floury mess all over my counters, no trying to smash a cold ball of dough, just out of the fridge and onto the table for the kids to get shaping! Awesome!

Bake at 350 for 8-12 minutes. I like mine more on the soft side, so I think I was closer to 8 minutes, but if you like them buttery crisp, then go closer to 12.

Of course, I topped these with my favorite buttercream frosting and sugar sprinkles.

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

These are like little chewy brownies in a crispy, powdery shell! Yummmmm! Peppermint extract can be added for a perfect holiday cookie!

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
preheat oven to 350

Combine:
2 C. sugar
1/2 C. oil
4 eggs
1 tsp. Vanilla (or 1 tsp. peppermint extract)
1 C. baking cocoa

add:
2 C. flour
2 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. Salt
(1/2 c. crushed candy canes can be added as well for a fun, festive treat!)

roll into balls and then roll into:
1/2 C. powdered sugar

Place on baking sheet and bake for 10 -12 minutes, or until puffy in the center. Remove from oven while still puffy in the middle. (do not bake until they flatten out- they will be too hard.) Let cool and flatten for a few minutes before eating. Have lots of milk on hand!!!

Neiman-Marcus Cookies

I got this recipe from a chain email that was going around forever ago and had never tried it, but this week I was feeling a little adventurous and wanting something sweet so I decided to give it a go. New favorite go-to-chocolate-chip-cookie-recipe. So, so good! It makes a gazillion cookies (ok, I exaggerate, but it does make 112), so I made a 1/4 batch and it was perfect!

5 cups oatmeal
2 cups butter
2 cups brown sugar
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
4 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp salt
24 oz. chocolate chips
1 (8 oz) Hershey's bar, grated (I don't like hershey's so I used an IKEA chocolate bar)
3 cups chopped nuts

Measure oatmeal and blend in a blender to a fine powder. Cream the butter, sugar and brown sugar. Add eggs and vanilla and mix together. Add flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Stir in chocolate chips, Hershey's bar and nuts. Roll into balls and place 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet. Bake for 7 minutes at 375 degrees.

Mrs. Field's Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is my go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe from my mom. Recently I decided that I was sick of spending the $$ on the break and bake cookie dough from the grocery store and thought I would try freezing my own cookie dough. It was perfect! I made this recipe (which makes SOOO many cookies) and baked 2 dozen for the family to enjoy and then froze the rest of the dough. When I made the next batch from the frozen dough they worked great too. I think I am going to try putting the dough in the flexible ice cube trays from Ikea next time I do it so they are ready to go directly onto the cookie sheet! I LOVE flexible ice cube trays from IKEA!

1 lb. butter (no one said these were healthy...only that they were yummy!)
2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
6 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
3 cups chocolate chips
3 cups nuts (optional)

*you could also substitute raisins and oatmeal for chips and nuts

Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Ha Ha...that is truly what my Mom's recipe card says...she isn't one for detailed directions! I am though...so here is my instruction.

Cream butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Add salt and baking soda and half of flour. Mix well. Add remaining flour. When combined stir in chips and nuts.

Roll into balls and place on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. remove from oven when still slightly doughy in the center. Let stand on cookie sheet for about 30 seconds and move cookies onto a paper towel until cooled. This is my secret to soft, but fully cooked cookies. You maky have to experiment a bit to get it perfect, but when you do it will be well worth it! :)

Dale's Root Beer Cookies

This recipe came from one of Seth's neighbors and came with rave reviews...I made it tonight with the kids, but I had to substitute some ingredients and got some measurements wrong (that's cooking with kids for you) so I don't know what they should really taste like, but they were pretty good. Bet they are really yummy when you get everything right.

Cookies:
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup butter or margarine
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk*
2 tsp. root beer extract
2 1/2 - 2 3/4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt

Cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs; mix well. Add extract. Add dry ingredients and buttermilk. Mix well. Bake at 400 degrees for 6-8 minutes. When cool, frost with root beer frosting.

*Buttermilk substitute: 1 1/2 tsp vinegar or lemon juice plus milk to make 1/2 cup. Allow to sit 5 minutes before adding to recipe.


Root Beer Frosting

3 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp. root beer extract
1/2 cup butter or margarine
3 Tbsp. hot water

Mix well. The key is to wait until cookies are cool before frosting.

You could also try this recipe with other flavors: cherry, orange, mint, etc.

Super Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

This recipe uses 1/2 the butter and they are SO soft!

Cream the following ingredients:
1/2 cup softened butter
3 oz Apple Sauce (the individual containers work great)
1 package sugar-free jello (vanilla, cheesecake, etc)
3/4 cup Sugar
3/4 cup Brown Sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Mix in:
2 eggs (whip one egg in, then the 2nd)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 cup flour

Add chocolate chips~ Try using half semi-sweet and half milk chocolate.

The dough will be a little sticky but if you chill it before you roll it, it turns out just fine.

Bake at 350 for 9-11 minutes.

Rolled Sugar Cookies

This is my mom's sugar cookie recipe, and since it is so yummy I have never tried making them any other way.

2/3 cup butter or shortening
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2-3 Tbsp. milk

Cream butter and sugar together and beat. Mix in vanilla. Add dry ingredients and mix. Add milk and mix.

Chill dough 2 -3 hours (I sometimes skip this step if I don't have time).

Roll to 1/2 inch thich and use cookie cutters to make desired shapes. Bake at 350 degress for 8-10 minutes.

Ridiculously Easy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies are embarrassingly simple and are so moist and soft! I know it seems weird to make cookies without eggs, oil, or butter, but I promise it works. Enjoy!

1 box spice cake mix (just the mix, without the ingredients on the back)
1 regular size can pumpkin puree
1/2 bag chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Mix cake mix with pumpkin, then stir in chocolate chips. Drop by spoonfuls onto greased or lined cookie sheets. Bake for 12-16 minutes, until firm and lightly browned around the edges.