Chocolate chip oreo cookies

SERVINGS: 2 dozen   TIME: varies

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 stick softened butter
• 6 tbsp granulated sugar
• 6 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 10 oreo cookies, broken
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until well combined. 
3. Add egg and vanilla and mix well.
4. Place flour, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl, stirring to combine.
5. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, then stir in oreos and chocolate chips until just combined.
6. With a medium cookie scoop, place scoops on a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet. 
7. Bake for 7-9 minutes or until cooked, but still soft. 
8. Let cool for 3 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

NOTES:

RECIPE & IMAGE SOURCE: zupas.com

Strawberry milk chocolate chip cookies

SERVINGS: 3 dozen  TIME:

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 sticks softened butter
• 1/2 cup strawberry milk powder
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1-2 drops red food coloring
• 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 10 oz bag chocolate chips (original calls for white choco chips)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a stand or electric mixer, beat butter, strawberry milk, and brown sugar until well combined. 
3. Place eggs into a bowl and whisk in food coloring.
4. Pour into mixer along with vanilla and beat until combined (about 30 seconds).
5. Place flour, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl; mix to combine then slowly add to wet ingredients along with white chips. Mix on low until just combined.
6. With a medium cookie scoop, scoop dough onto a silpat or parchment lined baking sheet, about 1 1/2 inches apart.
7. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until edges just start to brown.
8. Let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

NOTES:

RECIPE & IMAGE SOURCE: picky-palate.com

Madeleines

SERVINGS: 2-3 dozen  TIME:

INGREDIENTS:

• 1½ sticks unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon softened unsalted butter (for greasing pan)
• 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• a bit of extra flour for dusting pan
• 4 large eggs
• pinch of fine-grain sea salt
• 2/3 cups sugar
• zest of one large lemon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt the 1½ sticks of butter in a small pot over medium heat until browned (about 5-10 minutes). Strain (using a paper towel over a mesh strainer) - you want to leave the solids behind. Cool the butter to room temperature. 
2. Meanwhile, use remaining butter to grease the madeleine molds. Dust with flour and invert the pan tapping out any excess flour.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
4. Put the eggs with the salt in the bowl of an electric mixer with a whisk attachment. Whip on high speed until thick (approximately 3 minutes). Continuing to mix on high speed, slowly add the sugar in a steady stream. Whip for 2 minutes or until mixture is thick and ribbony. Fold in lemon zest and vanilla with a spatula, just until mixed.
5. Sprinkle the flour on top of the egg batter and gently fold in. 
6. Fold in butter mixture. Only stir enough to bring everything together.
7. Spoon the batter into the molds, filling each mold 2/3 full. 
8. Bake for about 14 minutes (7-10 if using smaller molds), or until the edges are golden brown. Remove from oven and unmold immediately. Cool on racks and then dust with powdered sugar.

NOTES:

ADAPTED FROM: 101CookBooks

Gingerbread cookies

{photo credit: sweet paul}

SERVINGS: 100   TIME:

INGREDIENTS:

• 2¼ (250g) sticks butter
• 3/4 cup dark molasses
• 1½ cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon cardemom
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1 teaspoon cloves
• 3/4 cup water
• 5 cups plain flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place butter and molasses in a saucepan and stir until the butter has melted.
2. Have sugar and spices in a large baking bowl and pour in the hot butter mixture.
3. Stir until the sugar has dissolved.
4. Add water and stir well.
5. Stir in the flour and baking powder.
6. Stir until you have a soft dough.
7. Wrap in plastic at let the dough stand in the fridge at least 24 hours.
8. Can be stored in the fridge for 14 days.
9. Take it out and roll thin.
10. Cut out stars, hearts or whatever you want to make and bake at 320F, 180C for about 5-6 minutes.
11. Cool on a wire rack.
12. Store in an airtight container.

NOTES:

SOURCE: Sweet Paul

Brown Sugar Biscuits

{photo credit: Trotski-Ash}
SERVINGS: 24   TIME: 25-30 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• 125g butter, softened
• 250g dark brown sugar
• 1 free-range egg, beaten
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1½ cups plain flour
• pinch of salt
•  ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• pecan halves

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees; rack on centre shelf
2. Grease two large oven trays.
3. Beat the butter and brown sugar together until light and creamy. Add egg and vanilla and beat well.
4. Sift flour, salt, and baking powder together. Beat into butter mixture.
5. Roll teaspoonfuls of mixture on a lightly floured surface, then place on the oven trays. Press a pecan half onto each ball of mixture and bake for 15 minutes or until golden. Allow biscuits to cool on a rack.

NOTES:

• Store in an airtight container for up to three weeks.

SOURCE: Trotski-Ash

Chewy Molasses-Spice Cookies

 SERVINGS: 36   TIME: 1 hour 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1½ teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1½ cups sugar
• 3/4 cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 large egg
• ¼ cup molasses

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. In a shallow bowl, place 1/2 cup sugar; set aside.
2. With an electric mixer, beat butter and remaining cup of sugar until combined. Beat in egg and then molasses until combined. Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in dry ingredients, just until a dough forms.
3. Pinch off and roll dough into balls, each equal to 1 tablespoon. Roll balls in reserved sugar to coat.
4. Arrange balls on baking sheets, about 3 inches apart. Bake, one sheet at a time, until edges of cookies are just firm, 10 to 15 minutes (cookies can be baked two sheets at a time, but they will not crackle uniformly). Cool 1 minute on baking sheets; transfer to racks to cool completely. Store in an airtight container up to 4 days.

NOTES:

SOURCE: Martha Stewart