Oatmeal Apple Raisin Cookies

Brian is a Scout Master for our church scout troop. One of the things they are supposed to learn as scouts is to eat healthy, I've done different snacks for them, carrots, apples, cookies, muffins, cinnamon rolls... Today, I wanted to make something healthier than I have the last few times...



Oatmeal Apple Raisin Cookies
3/4 c. coconut oil
1 c. sugar
2 T. molasses
1 egg
1/4 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
3 c. rolled oats
1 peeled, diced apple
1/2 c. raisins

Mix coconut oil, sugar, molasses, egg, milk and vanilla together, then add the dry ingredients, sifting them together first (I typically put the flour in the bowl on the wet ingredients, put salt, baking soda, etc on top and stir it up slightly before mixing it with the wet ingredients.)

Drop by spoonfuls on cookie sheet, bake at 375˚ for 13-14 minutes, let cool on cookie sheet 1-2 minutes before moving them to the cooling rack.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies (revised)

A couple years ago (can't believe I've been blogging that long!!) I posted a recipe for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies I love them, they didn't need any improvement.
But, I'm really trying to get away from shortening as an ingrediant. I actually don't have any in my house right now and I didn't have a can of pumpkin but I had pumpkin puree that I made myself. So I had to modify the recipe.

For some reason the color is not as orange as when I used the canned pumpkin. Not sure what that is about. I added more flour than the original recipe because my pumpkin puree was quite moist.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 c. pumpkin puree
1 c. butter
2 c. sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
3 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
2 c. whole wheat flour
3 c. white flour.
Mix together
Stir in 1 to 2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips (1/2 to whole package).
Drop by teaspoonfuls on ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake @ 350 for 11-14 minutes... till bottoms are barely golden - do not over bake

The Perfect Sugar Cookie

It just is! These are my absolute favorite sugar cookies- none other compare. My friend Suzanne is an excellent cookie chef and at least half of my cookie recipes come from her- including this one.
The last couple days I've been working on these cookies- Saturday, made the dough, Sunday, rolled, cut and baked them and then this morning I frosted them. They were for a bridal shower- they decided to do something different than cake. And after making them, I thought it was a great idea- they were so pretty!



The Perfect Sugar Cookie

1 c. butter, softened
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
cream and add one at a time:
3 eggs
Stir together and add to creamed mixture:
3 1/2 c. flour
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Chill dough 3-4 hours. Sprinkle the counter with flour and roll out to 1/4". Cut and bake at 350˚ for about 12 minutes. On cold stones I baked them for 14 minutes.
I don't like these cookies to brown at all- so just take them out. If they brown they get a little crunchy, but otherwise they are very soft and oh so yummy!

Molasses, Oatmeal & Raisin Cookies

I love these cookies. They take me back to growing up- When I was a teenager I lived in a tiny little town and had very few friends (read: 1, until a year before I moved away and then I had 2...), anyway, Gwen was my one friend and her family had a ranch. I would spend alot of time up there- they totally took me in and adopted me, it was great. Gwen's mom had this recipe- so if we ever wanted to make cookies, this was it.



Molasses, Oatmeal & Raisin Cookies

Mix thoroughly:
1/2 c. shortening
1 1/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
1/3 c. molasses
~
Sift together and then stir into shorten/sugar mixture:
1 3/4 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
~
Then stir in:
2 c. rolled oats
1 c. rainsins

Drop by teaspoonfuls on greased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes (no longer than that) at 400˚. These cookies are kind of chewy and very hearty.

Snickerdoodles

Naomi has been helping me cook alot- it's amazing how she pays attention and mimics me. Girls and boys are so different!

Snickerdoodles
1 c. butter, softened
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 3/4 c. flour
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
Mix butter, sugar and eggs add dry ingredients. Roll into balls the size of small walnuts. Roll the balls into a mixture of 2 TB. sugar and2 tsp. cinnamon. Place about 2" apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes. Do not over bake. They won't brown much.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

People know me for these cookies. ;-) I've been making them for years and they have always been a big hit whenever we take them to a get together.
This time I made them with some peanut butter chips and a handful of M&M's that we had left. Normally I make them with chocolate, but really they are good with any kind of chip you want. This is a big batch, but I freeze what doesn't fit in the cookie jar, so we have them handy.

Rachel's Chocolate Chip Cookies
3 c. white sugar
2 c. shorting
6 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. salt
4 tsp. baking soda
4 tsp. cream of tartar
7 c. flour
1 pkg. semi sweet chocolate chips

Cream sugar, shorting, eggs and vanilla. Mix dry ingredients together and then mix everything thoroughly.
Drop by spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes.
I like mine slightly underdone, so they are a little gooey on the inside, to do so, take them out just before the top browns.

Oatmeal-Cranberry Squares

Since Jesse doesn't like oatmeal, I am always trying to find ways to cook it so that he likes it. So we had these for breakfast. They reminded me of a newton. It didn't make a difference though-- they were "tolerable" and he did eat 2- but apparently it's "still oatmeal" oh well- the rest of us enjoyed them!!
I got this recipe off the Martha Stewart website Here is her recipe, but I did change it a little- so this is my version:


Oatmeal-Cranberry Squares
4 cups rolled oats
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce
2 teaspoons vanilla
--Mix thoroughly--
2 cups craisins
1/2 c. water

In sauce pan, bring crasins and water to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Put in food processor of blender until it is only slightly chunky.
Spread 1/2 of the oat mixture in greased 9x13 baking dish, spread cranberry mixture on the evenly, then top with the rest of the oatmeal mixture.
Bake in 350 degree oven for 40 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting into squares.

Frosting

I just realized that I didn't include my recipe for frosting for the gingerbread men so here it is:

Cookie Frosting

3 c. powdered sugar

1/3 c. butter, softened

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

3 T. milk

Mix together, add more powdered sugar or milk to get desired consistency.  This is enough for about 3 batches of gingerbread men.

Gift Boxes

Well, I finished the boxes for Brian's bosses-- yea!! I gave them: pancake mix, baked oatmeal mix, whole wheat bread, pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, gingerbread men, crab apple jelly and Mexican wedding cakes (recipe below).

And then, as tradition would have it, we had to make some comic relief gingerbread men for a few friends that appreciate our sense of humor.

Mexican Wedding Cakes

1 c. butter, softened

1/2 c. powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

2 1/4 c. flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 c. finely chopped pecans

Mix:

Butter, sugar and vanilla. Work in flour, salt and nuts. Form into 1" balls, bake at 400 degrees on ungreased baking sheet. 10-12 min, until set, not brown. While warm roll in powdered sugar, cool, then roll in powdered sugar again.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

My friend Suzanne gave me this recipe, I was a little hesitant to make them, but she usually makes wonderful cookies, so I gave it a try and now I'm addicted! These are so moist and delicious! I made a couple modifications- so here's my version:

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 small can of pumpkin (15oz)
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter or margarine
2 cup sugar
2 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoon baking soda
3 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups white flour.
Mix together
Stir in 1 package semi-sweet chocolate chips.
Drop by teaspoonfuls on ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake @ 350 for 11-14 minutes... till bottoms are barely golden - do not overbake

Thanks Suz!