Meltaways

 These cookies are absolutely delicious, and they really do "melt away" when you put them in your mouth. This recipe is from "Aunt" Betty Taylor. She was Beth and Aaron's babysitter, and she is a great cook and baker!!!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter or margarine
• 1 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 cups sifted all purpose flour
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1 can creamy-type frosting
• food coloring of your choice

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 °.
2. Beat butter (or margarine) with 1/2 cup sugar in a large bowl until light.
3. Stir in flour, vanilla & nuts ~ blending well to make a stiff dough.
4. Use a small cookie scoop and roll dough into a ball.
5. Place 1 - inch apart on lightly greased cookie sheet.
6. Bake for 15 minutes or until firm.
7. Remove carefully while still hot and roll in sugar.
8. Cool on wire racks; roll again in sugar to make a generous white coating.
9. Color the frosting.
10. Spread colored frosting on cookie halves and press 2 cookies together.

KETO One-Minute Chocolate Chip Cookie

 Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 TBSP. melted butter
• 3/4 TBSP. heavy whipping cream
• 2 TBSP. Swerve brown sugar replacement
• 1/3 cup super fine almond flour
• 1/8 tsp. baking soda
• Lily's milk chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients (one at a time).
2. Flatten dough on microwaveable plate with palm of hand.
3. Bake in microwave oven on high for 1 minute.
4. Let baked cookie cool on counter for 5 minutes.
5. Enjoy cookie as is, or add KETO vanilla ice cream.

DELICIOUS!!!!

Coconut Macaroons

Ingredients:

• 2/3 c. all purpose flour
• 14 oz. bag shredded sweetened coconut
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tsp. almond extract
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3 small squares chocolate almond bark

Directions for Cookies:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
3. Stir flour, coconut and salt together.
4. Add milk and both extracts. Stir until combined
5. Drop cookie scoop (2 tbsp. size) of macaroon mix onto parchment paper.
6. Add more balls of macaroon mix about 1 inch apart on parchment paper.
7. Wet fingers with water and push down any coconut standing up, so they won't burn during baking.
8. Bake about 11 minutes. Bottoms should be golden when done.
9. Cool completely.

Directions for Dipping:

1. Melt 2 squares of chocolate almond bark according to directions.
2. Dip bottoms of cookies and put on waxed paper (on counter) to dry.
3. When finished dipping bottoms, melt 3rd square of chocolate almond bark.
4. Put melted chocolate in quart size freezer zip lock bag.
5. Snip corner of bag and drizzle chocolate on top of each macaroon.
6. Voila....there you have the best tasting coconut macaroons! Enjoy!

Pink Kiss Cookies

If you like chocolate covered cherries, this recipe is FOR YOU! Chocolate covered cherries is one of my favorite Christmas candies, so I am thrilled with this recipe! I hope you like it too! Please let me know if you like it by commenting below.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 Tablespoons maraschino cherry juice
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 2 drops red food coloring
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 10 oz. jar Maraschino cherries, drained and chopped
• 25-30 Hershey Kisses

Directions:

1. Cream together butter and powdered sugar.
2. Add cherry juice, almond extract, red food coloring and salt and beat well.
3. Add flour 1 cup at a time, scraping bowl.
4. Fold in cherries.
5. Place quarter (or a little bigger, depending on how you like them) sized balls of dough on cookie sheet leaving a little room between them to spread.
6. Bake at 350F degrees for 10-12 minutes.
7. Remove from oven and immediately top with Hershey Kisses, pressing down slightly.
8. Let cool completely before storing in an airtight container.
9. Makes 25-30 cookies.

Mini Strawberry Whoopee Pies

Ingredients for Cookie:

• 1 (18.25 oz.) pkg. strawberry cake mix
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2/3 cup shortening (I usually use just shy of 2/3 cup.)

Ingredients for Filling:

• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups confectioners sugar
• 2 cups marshmallow cream (That's called Fluff for my Yankee friends! ☺)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease cookie sheets.
3. In a large bowl, stir together the cake mix, eggs and shortening until well blended.
4.  Roll the dough into walnut sized balls.
5. Place the cookies 2 inches apart onto the cookie sheet.
6. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven.
7. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
8. Mix all ingredients for filling until well blended.
9. Match up evenly sized cookies and sandwich them with the filling.

Easy Chocolate Thin Mint Ritz Crackers Cookies

If you like the Girl Scout Thin Mint cookies, you will love these Easy Chocolate Thin Mint Ritz Crackers . Six Sisters' Stuff Blog has some great recipes. You should check out this blog! Here is my version of their cookie:

Ingredients:

1 pound chocolate Almond Bark
1/2 tsp mint extract
28-30 Ritz Crackers
Optional ~ crushed candy cane or red & green icing

Directions:

1. Line cookie sheet with wax paper.
2. Melt chocolate in a microwave-safe dish according to package instructions.
3. When chocolate is completely melted, stir in 1/2 tsp. mint extract.
4. Dip Ritz Crackers into chocolate.
5. Tap off excess chocolate.
6. Lay crackers on wax paper to cool.

You can leave them plain or garnish with crushed candy cane. This cookie is also cute when drizzled with red and green icing. I usually leave the cookie plain.

Mama Sherri's Easy Sugar Cookies

I cheat to make these cookies, but they are so pretty, so cute and I must say so tasty!

Ingredients:
2 pkgs. Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Mix
2/3 cup butter, melted
2 eggs
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tub ready made vanilla frosting
white chocolate Almond Bark
M&Ms, sprinkles or nonpareils for decorating
cookie cutters of your choice

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Mix cookie dough per instructions on package for "cutout cookies".
3. Cut cookies into shapes of your choice.
4. Bake cookies per package instructions.
5. Cool cookies completely.
6. Put frosting in microwaveable bowl and microwave 30-60 seconds, until it becomes thin and runny.
7. Color frosting with color of your choice.
8. Dip front side of cookie in frosting, and let harden. (I usually put the cookies on a paper towel to allow the frosting to harden.)
9. Decorate cookies with melted Almond Bark. (I put the Almond Bark in a quart Ziploc freezer bag and snip a corner, so the piping comes out smoothly for decorating.)
10. Put decorations of your choice on the cookies before the Almond Bark hardens.

Buttercream Thumbprint Cookies

Shannon, Bill's niece, brought this cookie to a Christmas gathering years ago, and it has been my favorite cookie since! I have just varied it a bit to make it look a little festive. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I have. Thanks, Shannon!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter (or margarine) melted
2 eggs (separated)
2 cups flour
chopped pecans
food coloring of your choice
a few chocolate chips

Butttercream Frosting:
1/4 cup melted margarine
3 cups powdered sugar
milk (the thickness you want it...Shannon and I make ours thick.)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Mix brown sugar, butter, egg yolks and flour.
3. Roll into 1-inch balls.
4. Dip in egg whites.
5. Roll in pecans.
6. Push center almost down to cookie sheet.
7. Bake at 375 degrees for 5-6 minutes.
8. Let cookies completely cool before filling with frosting. (Frosting does not have to be colored, but it makes it festive.)

German Chocolate Cake Cookies

I enjoy browsing All Recipes. This is where I found these simple and delicious German Chocolate Cake Cookies. I am getting all kinds of ideas for new cookies using this concept. I'm thinking it will be fun to try different cake mixes and different fillings! What a variety of cookie ideas!

I am learning to post the actual recipe of findings at other websites because I clicked on a link from my website tonight and discovered the website was not available. So...here't the actual recipe for Allrecipes German Chocolate Cake Cookies:

Ingredients:
• 1 (18.25 ounce) package German chocolate cake mix
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2/3 cup shortening
• 1 (16 ounce) container prepared coconut pecan frosting

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the cake mix, eggs and shortening until well blended. Roll the dough into walnut sized balls. Place the cookies 2 inches apart onto the cookie sheet.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Match up evenly sized cookies and sandwich them with the coconut pecan frosting.

Czech Republic Cookies

One of my students gave a presentation for his social studies class. Since his presentation was about The Czech Republic, he made these delicious bar cookies. He found the recipe at www.allrecipes.com. Although the recipe calls for walnuts, Ryan made them without the nuts in case someone had nut allergies. I'm not sure I would make them with the walnuts because they were simply delicious without them. Thanks, Ryan for sharing! ☺

Ingredients:
1/2 pound butter
1 c. sugar
2 c. all-purpose flour
2 egg yolks
1/2 c. raspberry jam
1 c. walnuts, chopped (reserve some for top of cookies)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Cream butter, adding sugar gradually until light and fluffy.
3. Add egg yolks, one at a time, blending well after each.
4. Slowly add flour, and fold in chopped nuts.
5. Spread half of dough into a greased 8x8 pan.
6. Cover bottom cookie layer with raspberry jam and then spread remaining dough on top.
7. Sprinkle with reserved nuts.
8. Bake for 1 hour.
9. Cool.
10. Cut into bars or squares.

Mother Load Layered Cookie Bars

These cookies are ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS! I know I am the Queen of Easy Cooking, but seriously, the time it takes to make these cookies is SO WORTH IT! Since it is a bit time consuming, let me send you right to the source...Mother Load Layered Cookie Bars This is one of my favorite recipes from Picky Palate.

Layer 1: Sugar Cookie
1 Roll of Pillsbury Sugar Cookie Dough

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Press sugar cookie dough into bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish that’s been lined foil and sprayed with cooking spray.

Layer 2: Double Chocolate Chip Cookie
(the recipe below makes double what you’ll need for the bars, use extra for cookies)

1 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 3/4 cups flour
1 1/4 cups cocoa powder
2 tsps. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

1. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Slowly add eggs and vanilla until well combined.

2. In another bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Slowly add to wet ingredients then stir in chips. Layer 1/2 the recipe over sugar cookie layer, pressing gently.

Layer 3: Peanut Butter Cookie
1 Cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 Cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1. Place all ingredients into a bowl and mix until combined. Press over chocolate cookie dough.

Layer 4: Chocolate Chip Cookie
(the recipe below makes double what you’ll need for the bars, use extra for cookies)

2 sticks softened butter

3/4 Cup granulated sugar

3/4 Cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 Tablespoon pure vanilla

2 1/2 Cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 bag chocolate chips

1. Make sure oven is preheated to 350 degrees F. In a stand or electric mixer cream the butter and sugars until well combined. Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined. Place flour, baking soda and salt into a large bolw; mix to combine. Slowly add to wet ingredients along with chocolate chips. Spoon 1/2 of the dough evenly over peanut butter cookie dough but don’t press, just leave uneven. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until center of dough is cooked mostly through. Edges will be brown. I covered pan with foil during the last 15 minutes of baking.

2. Let cookies cool completely. Lift out of pan with edges of foil. I cut off 1/2 inch edges and just used softer centers, but do as you wish. Edges are crispier. Drizzle top with 1/2 Cup melted chocolate chips if desired.

*Note: You can layer dough and refrigerate until ready to bake. This is what I did and it worked very nicely.

8 large bars (if you cut off edges), 12 bars (if you keep edges)

XXL M&M Chocolate Chip Cookies

This recipe came from www.Picky-Palate.com. It makes about 18 delicious XXL cookies.

Ingredients:
2 sticks softened butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 extra large eggs
2 Tablespoons pure vanilla
3 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
12 oz. bag chocolate chips
1 bag M&Ms (you'll have some leftover)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Beat butter and sugars with mixer until well blended.
3. Beat in eggs and vanilla until well combined.
4. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
5. Slowly add flour mixture to wet ingredients.
6. Stir in chocolate chips...but NOT the M&Ms.
7. Scoop 1/4 cup of dough and press into a muffin top pan (or flatten onto parchment lined cookie sheet).
8. Press M&Ms onto pressed cookies.
9. Bake for 12-15 minutes until edges just start to turn golden brown.
10. Let cool for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

My Mom's Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1 stick butter (or margarine)
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup cocoa
3 cups quick cooking oatmeal
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup peanut butter

Directions:
1. Mix sugar, cocoa, milk and butter in sauce pan.
2. Bring to a boil, and boil 1 minute.
3. Remove pan from heat.
4. Add vanilla, peanut butter and oatmeal.
5. Drop by teaspoon onto waxed paper.