Almond Toffee Oatmeal Cookies:

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp salt (omit if using salted butter)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups oatmeal
3/4 cup toffee bits
3/4 cup sliced almonds

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Combine butter and sugar in mixing bowl. Beat until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add in egg, vanilla, and almond extract. Beat until combined. Slowly add in the flour, baking powder and baking soda. Stir in the oats, toffee bits, and almonds.

Scoop dough into balls and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool for three minutes on the cookie sheet. Move to a cooling rack.


Makes 4 dozen cookies

Rocky Road Cookies:

Rocky Road Cookies
(Printable Recipe)

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 brown sugar, firmly packed
2 eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup mini chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup mini marshmallows

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla. In another bowl, mix together the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Stir in chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, chopped pecans and mini marshmallows.

Scoop dough using medium cookie scoop and place on an parchment lined cookie sheet (make sure to use the parchment - the marshmallows melt and can stick to the pan). Bake 10-12 minutes - just until the edges are light brown. Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for 5 minutes. Remove to cooling rack.

Picky Palate's Cookie's N Cream Cookies:

Bakery Style Cookies and Cream Cookies2 sticks softened butter

1 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips, I used semi-sweet

1 cup cocoa powder

15 whole Oreo Cookies, finely ground

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat liner.

2. In a stand or electric mixer, beat butter and sugars until well combined. Add eggs and vanilla, beating until well combined.

3. Place flour, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Add to wet ingredients along with cocoa powder, and chocolate chips, slowly mixing until just combined. With a medium cookie scoop, scoop dough onto prepared baking sheet, about 1 inch apart from each other. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until cooked through. Let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Serve with milk.

Smore Bars:

S’More Granola Bars

2 cups rolled oates (not quick cooking)

2 cups rice krispies cereal

6 Tbsp white sugar

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1/8 cup water

1/4 cup corn syrup

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows, divided

3/4 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly grease a 9×13 inch pan.

Place the oats on the prepared pan and bake for 3 minutes. Stir oats and bake another 3 minutes. Don’t overbake, the oats will start to smell toasty but won’t turn brown. Transfer the oats to a wide bowl and add the rice krispies. Dig a well (not hitting the bottom) in the oats/krispies and set aside. Leave the oven at 425 degrees.

In a large saucepan, combine sugar, butter, water, corn syrup and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil and boil for 5 minutes or until the ingredients reach 250 degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove the mixture from the heat and pour it into the oats and cereal well, toss/stir to combine. Add 3/4 cup of the marshmallows and stir until totally combined.

Place the mixture on the same pan you used for the oats, patting it flat. Sprinkle with the remaining 3/4 cup marshmallows and chocolate chips. Press down using a greased bottom 9×9 pan to make the mixture fairly even.

Return the pan of bars to the oven for 3-7 minutes or until the marshmallows have puffed and are slightly browned. The marshmallows may burn quickly if left in too long, so keep an eye on them. Remove the bars from the oven and cool 10 minutes. Cut into squares while they are still warm. Continue to let them cool on a rack.

Store in airtight container or ziplock bags for up to a week

Saltine Toffee:

1 cup butter

35 saltine crackers

1 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 pkg (12 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Line a 10×15 inch rimmed baking heet with parchment paper, allowing for some overhang. Melt butter in a large saucepan. Brush parchment with a little butter. Line up crackers on buttered parchment, touching but not overlapping.

Whisk brown sugar into remaining butter. Set over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil; boil thick, 2 minutes (or 248 degrees). Pour evenly over crackers.

Slide into a 400 degree oven and bake until brown and bubbly, 10 minutes. Carefiully remove from oven.

Scatter molten surface with chocolate chips. let melt 5 minutes. Use an offset spatula to spread chocolate. Cast on nuts; gently press into chocolate. Freeze until firm, 30 minutes.

Lift parchment by its overhang and set toffee (paper and all) on a cutting surface. Slice into 18 squares, then into 36 triangles. (Like I said earlier, good luck with the slicing

Giada's Lemon/ Ricota Cookies:

Cookies:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 lemon, zested


Glaze:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 lemon, zested



Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.


Cookies:

In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In the large bowl combine the butter and the sugar. Using an electric mixer beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until incorporated.Add the ricotta cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Beat to combine.Stir in the dry ingredients.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Spoon the dough (about 2 tablespoons for each cookie) onto the baking sheets.Bake for 15 minutes, until slightly golden at the edges.
Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 20 minutes

PB cup brownie bites:

40 brownie bites


3/4 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
40 mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups



Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray mini cupcake pan with non stick spray. In a medium bowl, mix melted butter, sugars and vanilla. Beat in eggs one at a time. Gradually add flour, cocoa, and salt and mix until combined. Fill each cupcake slot slightly more than halfway but not more than 2/3 full.

Place a peanut butter cup in each slot pressing it down until it is almost level with the batter. Bake in preheated oven for 15-18 minutes or until done. Allow the brownie bites to cool for 5 minutes before removing from the cupcake tin. Enjoy!

*Notes: Be sure to remove brownie bites 5 minutes after coming out of the oven. Otherwise they might cool and stick to the sides making it difficult to get out. If baking these in a pan, your baking time will increase to 25-30 minutes. You can be sure they are close to being done when you can smell them from your oven.

Baklava:

1 lbs. walnuts
1.5 heaping tsp. cinnamon
1/4 – 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1 (16 oz.) package phyllo dough, thawed
1 cup unsalted butter, melted

Syrup
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 cup honey
1 cinnamon stick
strip of lemon peel, or a couple tsp. fresh lemon juice

Toast the walnuts, either in a dry skillet or a 300 degree oven, until fragrant. Place in a food processor along with the cinnamon and cloves, and buzz until walnuts are pretty finely crushed.

Preheat the oven to 350.

Grease a 9×13 pan, and place one layer of phyllo at the bottom. Brush the phyllo with the melted butter, and then add another layer of phyllo, and brush with more butter. Continue this process until you have layered about 7 sheets of phyllo.

Spoon 1/4 of the nut mixture evenly over the top. Repeat the process of the phyllo/butter layering again, but this time only use about 5 sheets of phyllo. Continue the layering of the 5 sheets of phyllo and 1/4 of the mixture of walnuts. Finish off with 7 layers of buttered phyllo.

Using a sharp knife, cut your baklava into diamonds or triangles (at this point, you can also trim any ragged ends or phyllo that sticks out). I used to do diamonds but mine were always a little funky shaped so now I just do triangles. Place in the oven, and bake for about 50 minutes, until golden brown.

To make your syrup, combine all the ingredients and bring to a low boil. Turn the heat to simmer and simmer about 10-15 minutes. Allow the syrup to cool before pouring over baklava.

Chocolate, Caramel Crunch cookies:

Ingredients:


1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons instant coffee
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup baking cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
18 caramels, rolled into balls
1/2 cup macadamia nuts, finely chopped

Directions:


Heat oven to 350˚F. Place butter and chocolate in a bowl and microwave on high for 1 minute, stirring after 30 seconds; mix until smooth, microwaving for 15 additional seconds at a time, as needed. Place melted chocolate mixture in a large bowl and stir in both types of sugar, instant coffee, egg, and vanilla extract until smooth. Stir in flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt until soft dough forms.

Wrap cookie dough evenly around the 18 caramels and roll each cookie in chopped macadamia nuts. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350˚F for 10 to 12 minutes or until set. Cool 5 minutes and transfer to wire racks to cool completely, about 30 minutes. Makes 18 cookies.

Muddy Buddy Cookies:

Recipe comes form Hoosier Homade.

Muddy Buddy Cookie Recipe:

1 cup chocolate chips (I like milk chocolate)
1/4 cup butter or margarine (I ended up adding a couple more tablespoons to make the mixture a little smoother)
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
Powdered sugar for coating


After the cookies are cooled. Melt all ingredients except powdered sugar, in a microwave safe bowl, about 1 minute 30 seconds, or until slightly melted. Stir until smooth. Place powdered sugar in seperate bowl.

The Betty Crocker directions say to place the cookies in a bag to coat with chocolate and then in another bag to coat with powdered sugar. I tried and found it to be very difficult. So, I just placed the melted chocolate in a bowl and the powdered sugar in another bowl.

Dip cookie in chocolate, coating both sides, let extra chocolate drip off into bowl, then place cookie in powdered sugar and flip to coat both sides.

Lemon Sugar cookie truffels:

Recipe courtesey of Sing for your Dinner.




Lemon-Lime Sugar Cookie Truffles

1 batch of sugar cookie dough
zest and juice of 1 large lemon and 1 large lime
1 1/2 blocks cream cheese (12 ounces) at room temperature
1 package white chocolate candy coating
colored sprinkles or coarse sugar, for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare the cookie dough as directed on package or recipe; add in the zest and juice of the lemon and lime and mix well. Spread the cookie dough in a greased 9×9 baking dish and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until cookies are fully baked. Cool completely.

When cookies are cooled, using your hands, remove from the dish and crumble into the bowl of a stand mixer or food processor (small chunks are fine). Add in the cream cheese and mix until the cookie crumbs and cream cheese are completely mixed together. Roll into 1-1 1/2 inch balls and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

When the balls are thoroughly chilled, melt the white chocolate candy coating in the microwave, or over a double boiler. Carefully dip each ball into the white chocolate and turn to coat. Remove with a tooth pick and set on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Top with sprinkles. Repeat until all the balls are coated. Store in the refrigerator.

Loaded Oatmeal Cookie's:

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup dried cherrie's
1 cup white chocolate chips


Heat oven to 350°F.
In large bowl, beat margarine and sugars until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well. Add oats and raisins, mix well.


Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Store tightly covered.

Nutter/ Butter Truffles:

1 pkg. Nutter Butter cookies (broken… use cookie with the cream center)
1 8oz. package cream cheese (softened)
chocolate bark


Finely crush all but 5 cookies in a food processor or place them in a ziploc bag and crush into a fine consistency. Combine with cream cheese. Use the back of a large spoon to help mash the two together.

Roll the mixture into 1″ balls and place on wax paper covered cookie sheet. Melt chocolate as directed on the package and then dip balls into chocolate, tap off extra and set aside on wax paper covered cookie sheet to dry. Once dry, refrigerate