I Can't Believe It's a Cookie! with apples

Don't have a pic for this one yet, but I'll try to get one up soon!

Ingredients:
1 c creamy peanut butter
1 egg
1 c sugar
1 medium red apple, cored and diced

Mix egg and sugar until completely incorporated. Add peanut butter and stir well.*
Stir in apple pieces and scoop out onto cookie sheet. Gently push down slightly with the back of a spoon. Bake at 350 for 12-14 minutes.

Depending on the apples you use, this dough could be too thin. If it seems thin, add flour, tablespoon at a time until proper consistency.

* At this point, you have the original inspiration for this cookie. If you want a quick and easy peanut butter cookie, stop here and spoon out onto cookie sheet and gently push down with a fork in an overlapping pattern. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.

Peppermint Patties

Here's one that's really easy to make and very kid friendly!

4 c powdered sugar
2 egg whites
few drops mint flavoring

chocolate baking chips


Beat egg whites until foamy. Add mint flavoring (I prefer peppermint). Stir in powdered sugar, about 1/2 c at a time until dough gets thick, then continue mixing powdered sugar in with your hands, kneading as you go. I suggest wearing rubber gloves! If the dough is too sticky, add powdered sugar tablespoon at a time. When all the sugar is mixed in, shape dough into quarter size pieces and put on cooling rack to set. It will take a few hours to set all the way.

When mint pieces are set, melt chocolate in double boiler and dip mint pieces in. Place on wax paper to cool.

Faith made these today. I have to admit, that little girl has some awesome kitchen skills! These turned out great.

Caramel Apple Cookies

Ok, so it's been a while, but I've finally posted a new recipe!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 1/3 cups packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 Grannie Smith Apple, peeled and diced
• 1/2 Red Delicious Apple, peeled and diced
• 3/4 c Caramel baking pieces (look for the small caramel baking bits that you melt to make caramel apples)
• 3/4 t cinnamon
• 1/4 t cloves
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Cream shortening, sugar and egg. Add half of the dry ingredients.
3. Blend in milk and remaining dry ingredients.
4. Stir in apples and caramels
   
5. Drop on greased cookie sheet and bake 13-15 minutes, or until cookies are no longer shiny
   

Orange Balls

This is the first time I made this. Big shout out to Gina who brought her husband's version into work on Friday. I took the basic recipe and added a slight twist.









Orange Balls

• 1 1/2 12 oz boxes vanilla wafer cookies, crushed
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup orange juice concentrate, thawed
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• sifted powdered sugar and cocoa (equal amounts of each) for coating

Preparation:

Combine cookie crumbs and 1 cup confectioners' sugar; blend in butter. Stir in orange juice concentrate; add vanilla. Shape mixture into balls about the size of walnuts; shake in food storage bag with sifted powdered sugar and cocoa. Arrange orange balls in single layer on waxed paper-lined cookie sheet; store uncovered overnight in refrigerator for best flavor. Makes about 3 dozen.

Optional Variations

Cut back on the orange juice by a few tablespoons and replace with pineapple or coconut flavored rum

Roll balls in coconut instead of powdered sugar/cocoa

Buckeyes!

This one seems to be a holiday favorite. If you're craving it at another time of the year, these can be altered by using white chocolate melting chips and food coloring. We made these over the summer and covered with red tinted white chocolate. Then using some black decorating icing, we decorated them as lady bugs then added half a black jelly bean for the head! The kids had a blast making them and of course eating them!

BUCKEYES

1 cup creamy peanut butter
4 cups sifted powdered sugar

1 cup butter, softened
2 (12-ounce) packages semisweet chocolate

morsels

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Beat peanut butter and butter at medium speed of an electric mixer until fluffy. Add vanilla, beating well. Gradually add sugar, beating until blended.

Shape into 3/4 inch balls; place on wax paper lined cookie sheets. Insert a wooden tooth pick into top of each ball. Freeze at least 2 hours.

Place chocolate morsels in top of a double boiler; bring water to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cook until chocolate melts, stirring occasionally. Dip each frozen ball into chocolate, coating three- fourths of ball. Place on wax paper-lined cookie sheets, and chill until chocolate is set. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator. Yield: 9 dozen

Peanut Butter Blossoms

PEANUT BUTTER BLOSSOMS

1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 cup peanut butter

1 tsp baking soda
1 egg

1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp milk

1/2 cup white, gran. sugar
1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup shortening

48 candy kisses, unwrapped

Combine all ingredients except candy kisses on lowest speed of mixer. Beat until dough is firm. Using rounded teaspoon, form dough into balls and roll balls in sugar. Bake on ungreased cookie sheets at 375 for 10-12 mins. Top each warm cookie with a chocolate kiss.

The Crowd Favorite: Danish Wedding Cakes

This seems to be the most requested cookie in my arsenal. I have to admit, it's one of my favorites as well. As this is my signature sweet, I can't give away my tricks. But here's the basic recipe:

Ingredients:

1 cup butter (softened)
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 c flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together butter and powdered sugar. Add flour half cup at a time until dough is smooth. Form dough into balls about 3/4" in diameter. Using your thumb, make a well into the dough. Bake cookies 10-12 minutes or until bottoms begin to brown. Cool completely and fill wells with icing.

Icing:

Melt 1/2 stick butter with 1/4 cup milk or half and half. Beat in powdered sugar until proper consistency. Add 1 tsp. vanilla and food coloring if desired. *OPTIONAL: add a few drops of mint, orange, cherry, or any other flavoring in place of vanilla*