Peanut Butter Fancies

Oh. My. This picture can in no way show how incredibly good these cookies are. It's a good thing that Mike had a meeting today, and I was able to send these cookies out of the house, or I'd weigh 5 more pounds tonight. The recipe says to let them cool, so you can put the pretty drizzle on. But straight out of the oven they are amazing.

Peanut Butter Fancies

Makes 12 large cookies

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups quartered miniature peanut butter cups (about 30 cups... I used the 'real' peanut butter filled ones, but Reese's would be good, too.)

1/2 cup melted milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips for drizzling

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

Cream the peanut butter and butter in a mixer. Add the sugars and beat until well combined. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until well combined. Slowly add the flour mixture and mix just until just combined. Stir in the peanut butter cups. Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour, or until firm enough to handle.

Roll into large balls (about 1/3 cup each) and flatten on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 375 degrees for about 10-12 minutes, until just turning golden. Do not overbake! Cool slightly and transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Drizzle cookies with melted chocolate. To make them pretty, use a piping bag. I got lazy and just used a Ziploc with the corner cut, and the melted chocolate didn't do so well in it. Oh, well.

[Recipe courtesy Stephanie's Kitchen]

Easy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

So easy, so light and fluffy. Yum. And the smell when they are baking is just so completely autumn. Love autumn. These cookies are just what I needed today to get through the hot summer months. Or I needed the smell of them, anyways. Pretty sure I didn't need the cookies. But they are good.

Easy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yields 3 dozen cookies

1 spice cake mix
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin
1 cup milk chocolate chips

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix spice cake mix and pumpkin together (just the spice cake... no oil or eggs). Fold in chocolate chips. Drop in rounded teaspoons on a cookie sheet, and bake for 15 minutes.

Mint Cookies

Have a serious chocolate craving? Try these. They are sure to satisfy, and they couldn't be easier. And they would be perfect for a holiday party (in 5 months or so... but who's counting?).

Andes Mint Cookies

Yields 4 dozen cookies

3/4 c. butter
1 1/2 c. brown sugar
2 T. water
2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips (one 12 oz bag)
2 eggs
2 1/2 c. flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 package Andes mints, unwrap 'em

Combine butter, brown sugar and water in saucepan over medium heat. Stir until melted. Add chocolate chips and stir until melted. Pour into large mixing bowl, and cool 10 minutes. Beat in 2 eggs. Add flour, baking soda, and salt. Cover tightly, and chill for 45 minutes in refrigerator.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Remove cookies from fridge, and roll into 1" balls (I use my little cookie scoop... LOVE it!), and place on cookie sheet. Flatten slightly. Bake for 10 minutes.

Remove and IMMEDIATELY add 1 Andes mint to each. Let melt for several minutes. [Refrain from screaming, "I'm melting, melting! Oh, what a world, what world!" (from The Wizard of Oz... remember?) or your husband will look at you weird.]


Swirl with spoon (or your finger, if you're feeling dangerous) and allow to cool.

Snickerdoodles

Mike may be an adventurous cook, but he makes some dang good snickerdoodles. This recipe is all his, and is super yummy. Crunchy on the outside, soft and chewy in the center. Mmmmm! I like to be the Cookie Queen in our house, but he is definitely the Snickerdoodle King.

Snickerdoodles

1 c. butter
1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 3/4 c. sifted all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1/4 tsp. salt

2 TB. granulated sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a large bowl, mix together the shortening and 1 1/2 cups of white sugar until smooth. Stir in the eggs one at a time, blending well after each.

Combine the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt; stir into the batter until blended.

Roll the dough into balls the size of small walnuts. Roll in a mixture of 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon. Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Like this:


Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Let cool for 1 minutes, and then remove to cookie racks, to cool completely. Enjoy with milk. :)