Monster Cookies

The time has come to share my favorite cookie recipe. I have been making Monster cookies for quite some time now and I have been withholding this awesome cookie from you. Usually it is just my cake recipes that I withhold, which I sell, but for some reason I have never shared this. No reason really, I guess they just get eaten too fast to get a picture.

If you are trying to win over your Valentine...then you may just want to whip up a batch of these. Give them about 15 minutes to eat their cookie...they are huge and take forever to eat...and they will be yours!

In my humble opinion, it doesn't get much better than a Monster Cookie!

Why?

Well, for starters, did you get a look at that cookie?

They bake up beautifully each and every time.

They are so thick and have the perfect crisp outer edge but maintain a chewy middle.

This cookies incorporates ALL of my favorite cookie ingredients.

They are versatile...I make them kind of a lot...and each time I make them a little different.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 1/2 cups oats
1/2 cup chocolate chunks
1 1/4 cup M&M's, divided


Directions:
Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, beat peanut butter and butter with a mixer. Beat until creamy. Add brown sugar and granulated sugar and beat until fluffy. Add in vanilla and eggs and mix until well blended. Add in flour and baking soda. Stir in oats, chocolate chunks, and 1 cup of M&M's.

Drop by ice cream scoopful (or 1/4 cup) onto an un greased cookie sheet. Press the remaining M&M's into the top of the cookies. Bake 11-15 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Remove from sheet to cooling rack after 1 minute.

Makes: 12 cookies

Have you entered the Yoplait Frozen Smoothie Prize Pack giveaway?

Enter here...ends 2/11!

Freezing Christmas Cookies

I have been busy tonight getting things ready for next week...I have something special in store for you all while I am gone. I got so sidetracked with that, that I am just now getting a post done for today. I am going crazy right now, I can not find my memory card with 99% of my recipe photos on it. I am PRAYING it isn't lost because there is a lot of hard work on it...and I know you will want me to post those recipes.

So, since I have no recipe photos I thought I would share a little tip that could make your Christmas a little less stressful!

Make up your Christmas cookies now...while you have a little more time and store them in the freezer! You can pull them out when you want them and they thaw in no time!

I do this every year, and it doesn't alter the taste/texture of the cookies at all! I bake them up and place in a gallon freezer bag.

All of the recipes for the cookies pictured are on the blog already...here at the 12 Days of Christmas Cookie Style!

This is how I keep such an assortment fresh all season long! Instead of frantically baking on December 23, I am enjoying my cookies from the freezer! When it is time to go to a Christmas party I just pull out a few of this and a few of that.

I am telling you...if you are a cookie baker...this will help you immensely!

How to Make Your Own Colored Sugar

Have you entered to win the $40 CSN Stores Gift Card Giveaway? Enter HERE!

Did you know that you can make your own colored sugar to decorate your cookies? Of course you can buy it, but why waste the money. That wouldn't be "cutting back" now, would it?

I guarantee that most of you already have all the stuff sitting in your pantry...just begging to be used on some delicious sugar cookies!

What you will need:

Sugar

Food Coloring

Bowl

Fork

Dump some sugar in a bowl and add some food coloring! Now get to mixing it all up...at first it may seem like it isn't incorporating well. Give it a minute. I think mine took all of 3 minutes to complete!


Here you go! It is all pretty now and ready to decorate some cookies!



Do you have a Christmas baking tip to share?

M&M Cookies

I don't know if there is anything better than a good homemade cookie...make that an M&M cookie! What is it about the candy coated goodness of an M&M? They are great right out of the bag, but mix them in cookie dough and it is pure heaven!


These cookies have a serious hold on me! I made them for Daniel and I probably ate a whole dozen in one day...I know, it is a serious problem. I can't even keep M&M's in the house, I won't be able to resist baking up a batch of these wonderful gems!


Hopefully you have more self restraint than I do! If you do, what are you waiting for, go whip up a batch of these!



3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
12 oz. M&M's

Beat butter and sugars at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla, beating until blended.

Combine flour, soda, and salt in a small bowl; gradually add to butter mixture, beating well. Stir in M&M's. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto lightly greased baking sheets.

Bake at 350 degrees for 8-14 minutes or until desired degree of doneness. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Yields: about 5 dozen

This post is linked to Ultimate Recipe Swap at www.lifeasmom.com

Frugal Valentine's Container

It is that time of year when we are all baking for our sweethearts! The baking isn't so bad, but the packaging can get pretty costly. I made some treats the other day and went about the house looking for inspiration on packaging them frugally. I had emptied my oatmeal container when baking my cookies...so instead of tossing it I decided recycled it.

First I covered it with scrapbook paper. Then I added embellishments...ribbon, buttons, a cute tag! I just used materials that I already had in my craft room.

So, bake up some goodies for your sweetheart! Then dig through your craft supplies and make something cute to package them up!

This post linked to Frugal Fridays at www.lifeasmom.com

Rice Krispie Hearts

I wanted to post a recipe that kids would have fun making for Valentine's Day! These were so simple and fun to make. They are just regular rice krispie treats cut into hearts for the upcoming

"holiday".

After cutting the hearts out you will have some leftover scraps, but I am sure you will find somewhere to put them (at least I did)! I iced my treats with chocolate, but the possibilities are endless... You could add red food coloring to the treats, top with sprinkles, etc.

Who knew something so simple could be so good!

Here is the recipe:

3 tablespoons butter

1 package marshmallows (10 oz.)

6 cups Rice Krispies

In a microwave safe bowl heat butter and marshmallows on high for 3 minutes, stirring after 3 minutes. Stir until smooth. Add cereal. Spread into a greased 9x13 pan. After about an hour of so cut with heart cookie cutters.

Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

I had the absolute best cookie I have ever had this weekend! I know, bold statement...but it's true. Have you ever been to Potbelly's? My first experience with Potbelly was last year in Chicago. My husband had been raving about it, we walked past one, so we ate lunch there. We were there because he had a tax class or something like that to go to, so I was alone wandering my favorite city for several days. I ate lunch there every day (I have a serious addiction to Italian sandwiches, and they make a mean one)

Fast forward one year...I had eaten there many times since Chicago, but always just get one of two sandwiches. We were there Sunday with a friend...and he introduced me to their cookies. IT. WAS. AMAZING! I have had/made oatmeal chocolate chip cookies before (usually out of the Betty Crocker pouch), but their's was by far the best.

The thing that normally bothers me about oatmeal cookies is that the dry out quickly. I don't know if it is due to the oats or what, but I hate dry cookies. I enjoy cookies that have a slightly crisp edge and a chewy center. I combated the normal dry cookie by making huge cookies. That way, they have more of a chewy center. It actually helped a lot!

So, if you are like me on how you like your cookies consider using an ice cream scoop to make them. I ended up with about 13 jumbo cookies instead of the 3 1/2 dozen it is supposed to yield. Also, they may appear a little undercooked in the center but take them out of the oven anyways.

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups quick-cooking oats
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl combine the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the creamed mixture until combined. Mix in the oats and chocolate chips.

Bake 12 minutes in preheated oven. Allow to cool 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

*If you make jumbo cookies, use an ice cream scoop and extend cooking time. Mine took about 16 minutes.

This post is linked to:
Ultimate Recipe Swap @ Life As Mom

Tempt My Tummy Tuesday @ Blessed With Grace
Tuesday’s at the Table @ All The Small Stuff

12 Days of Christmas-"Cookie Style"- Hard Tack Candy

Hard Tack Candy

I love this candy. It is just so old-fashioned and cool. I'm into bringing the old stuff back! It is easy to make and inexpensive. The fun thing is that you can make any flavor and make it any color. I prefer mints and cinnamon, but you can do fruit flavors, too. You can buy the flavoring at any craft store, and they usually come in packs of four. So, plan on making a few batches, so you get different flavors and colors.

2 cups sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup water
1 bottle candy flavoring
food color
powdered sugar

Mix together sugar, corn syrup, and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, add candy thermometer. Heat to 300 degrees and remove from heat. Add color and flavoring. Pour onto a greased cookie sheet. Dust with powder sugar. Let cool and break into pieces. Store in an airtight container.

This candy has a long shelf life, so you could make it up several weeks before Christmas with no problem!

You also want to use a non stick pan if you have one! I have one and I always use it when I am making candy. It is no fun to have stuff stuck to your pan!

12 Days of Christmas - "Cookie Style"- Pecan Tarts

Pecan Tarts

2 cups margarine
12 oz. cream cheese (1 1/2 packages)
4 cups flour
3 eggs
2 1/2 cups brown sugar
3 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
pinch of salt
1 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, mix together margarine and cream cheese until blended. Beat in flour, 1 cup at a time until blended. Roll into small balls and press into bottom and sides of greased mini muffin pans.

In another bowl mix eggs, brown sugar, butter, vanilla, and salt. Stir in pecans. Use spoon to fill each crust 2/3 full with filling.

Bake 15-18 minutes until light brown and filling is puffed up.

Yields-60 pecan tarts

*Tip- Don't be stingy with the size of the dough balls. If you don't put enough dough in the pecan filling will come over the sides and make them hard to get out. Talking from experince here- you don't want them to stick. You well be back to square one.

*These freeze great. Just bake and cool, then put in a freezer bag.

12 Days of Christmas "Cookie Style" - Chocolate Cherry Cookies

Chocolate Cherry Cookies

These and candy cane cookies are my absolute favorites! I have never had a Christmas where I didn't make these!!!! They are very rich, chocolaty, and delicious. I love their uniqueness, I have never had anything like them. They also freeze well, I usually make them up a few weeks before Christmas and you would never know.

These are a childhood favorite! My aunt Cherie makes them every Christmas, and I would always eat a ton of them. I just love family recipes!

1/2 cup margarine
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup cocoa
6 oz chocolate chips
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
4 teaspoons cherry juice
cherries

Preheat oven to 350 F.
Cream together margarine, sugar, egg, and vanilla.
Sift together flour, salt, soda, baking powder, and cocoa.
Add flour mixture to butter mixture and beat with mixer until incorporated.
For icing-melt chocolate chips, sweetened condensed mil, and cherry juice on stove top.
Roll dough into balls. Make indentation on the top and top with a cherry. Put icing on top of that.
Bake for 10 minutes.

12 Days of Christmas "Cookie Style"-Candy Cane

Candy Cane Cookies

Oh my, these are my most favorite cookies EVER!!!! I would eat them all year, but that might be a little weird. I mean cookies for Easter that taste like peppermint?? Sounds strange to me. I have great memories of making these with my Aunt Becky when I was little. They were my favorite then, and still are today!

I have seen similar recipes elswhere, but they either don't have the glaze or are just sugar cookies shaped like candy canes. Ugh...that won't work for me.

1 cup softened butter or margarine
1 cup powdered sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
dash of salt
2 1/2 cups flour
red food coloring

Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
enough water to brush or drizzle on cookies

In a large bowl, beat margarine until soft. Add sugar and beat until fluffy. Add egg, vanilla, peppermint, and salt. Beat well. Add flour and beat well. Divide dough into two equal balls. Color one red (it really will just be pinkish). Chill 30 minutes.

For each candy cane, scoop 1 teaspoonful of plain dough and 1 teaspoonful of the red dough. Roll each dough portion between your hands to make a 4 inch rope. Twist together, pinch ends, and form into a candy cane. Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees 8-9 minutes. Let cool and drizzle glaze on cookies!

These cookies freeze great! I bake them and freeze without the glaze. When you are ready to eat them, just pull out of the freeze and put the glaze on them.

12 Days of Christmas "Cookie Style"-Kiss Cookies

Kiss Cookies

48 Hershey's Kisses
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
granulated sugar

Remove wrappers of kisses

Heat oven to 375. Beat shortening and peanut butter in a large bowl until well blended. Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk, and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda, and salt; gradually beat into flour mixture.

Shape into 48 balls (about 1 inch each). Roll in granulated sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool 3-4 minutes. Press Kiss into center of cookie; cookie will crack around edges. Remove cookie from sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.

Makes 48 cookies

12 Days of Christmas "Cookie Style"- Butter Cookies

Butter Cookies

I love these cookies! I bake them all year, not just Christmas. I personally love them with the apricot, but hubby loves the raspberry so I do half and half.

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temp
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup raspberry or apricot preserves

Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together into a small bowl and set aside.

Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream the butter and sugar together in a medium size mixing bowl until light and fluffy, about 2 minute. Stop the mixer twice to scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula.

Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed for several seconds. Scrape the bowl, then turn the mixer to high speed and beat until the batter is light and fluffy, about 1 minute.

Refrigerate the batter in plastic wrap or a covered container for 3 hours.

Fifteen minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 275 F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or leave them ungreased.

Measure out rounded teaspoonfuls of dough and roll them into balls with your hands.

Place the balls about 1 1/2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets. Then make a firm indentation in the center of each cookie with your thumb or index finger.

Bake the cookies until lightly golden, 25-30 minutes. Remove the sheet from the oven and increase the heat to 325.

Place 1/2 teaspoon jam in the center of each cookie and return the sheet to the oven.

Bake the cookies just until the jam melts and spreads, about 10 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on the sheets before eating.

12 Days of Christmas "Cookie Style" - Gingerbread

Gingerbread Cookies

I am just going to be honest right now... I am not down with the gingerbread! I included these because they are a Christmas tradition, and I make them every year. They are so stinking cute :) I love to look at them, decorate them, really anything besides eat them...but a lot of people order them every year so they must taste good. I even collect gingerbread stuff for the house, I can't resist those cute little guys!

1 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup shortening
1 1/2 cup molasses
2/3 cup cold water
7 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Beat brown sugar, shortening, molasses, and water in very large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and refrigerate about 2 hours or until firm.

Heat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease cookie sheet. Roll one fourth of dough at a time 1/4 inch thick on lightly floured surface. Cut with floured gingerbread cookie cutter. Place about 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes or until almost no indentation remains when touched in center. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. Now decorate them up really cute :)

12 Days of Christmas "Cookie Style"-Mexican Wedding

Mexican Wedding Cookies

These little cookies are called so many different things. Russian Tea Cakes, Snowballs, Snowdrops...whatever you call them, they are some good cookies! They are really easy to make and freeze great. If you make them now to freeze just place them in a freezer bag. When they thaw roll them in more powdered sugar.

1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup chopped nuts
1/4 teaspoon salt
powdered sugar

Heat oven at 400.

Mix butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar and the vanilla in large bowl. Stir in flour, nuts, and salt til dough holds together.

Shape into 1 inch balls. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 10-12 minutes or til set but not brown. Immediately remove from sheet to wire rack. Cool 5 minutes. Roll warm cookies in powdered sugar again.

Makes 4 dozen

12 Days of Christmas "Cookie Style"-Sugar

Sugar Cookies

I use this sugar cookie recipe because the cookies hold their shape. I can use intricate cookie cutters, and don't have to worry about them spreading. The recipe is actually called "no fail" sugar cookies, so they are easy!



5 1/2 -6 cups flour
3 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups butter
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt


Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Mix dry ingredients and add a little at a time to the butter mixture. Mix until flour is completely incorporated and the dough comes together. Chill for 1-2 hours. Roll to desired thickness and cut into desired shapes. Bake on ungreased baking sheet at 350 for 8-10 minutes or until edges are just turning light brown. Makes up to 5 dozen-3inch cookies. Decorate with your favorite icing!

12 Days of Christmas "Cookie Style"-Haystack

Haystack Cookies

These are so simple, and great for the kids to make. I was asked to bring these for a cookie exchange one year, and I almost felt too guilty to bring them. They are too easy...I felt like I should have made something more difficult. Oh well, they asked for them. I continually get recipe requests for these yummy, simple cookies. If you like butterscotch go ahead and give these a try, you won't be disappointed.

1 package butterscotch chops
1 heaping tablespoonful peanut butter
1 bag dried chow mein noodles
2 oz. peanuts

Melt the chips and peanut butter in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds so they don't scorch. Once melted, stir in chow mein noodles and peanuts. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto waxed paper. Put in the refrigerator to cool. Store in the refrigerator in an air tight container.

12 Days of Christmas "Cookie Style"

Since it is now Christmas time I thought it would be nice to share some of my favorite cookie/candy recipes. After all, who doesn't look forward to Christmas cookies all year? So, over the next couple weeks I will be sharing my 12 Days of Christmas "Cookie Style"!

Now, I am not a casual cookie baker, I take it pretty seriously...I have sold Christmas cookies for about 4 years or so. I typically sell about 140 dozen cookies plus lots of poundage of candy, and yes you read that right, there is a zero behind the 14! I love making them, but it is A LOT of work to make that much. So much work in fact, that I lost my love of cookies (gasp) for a while. I am taking this year off, so I am actually looking forward to making them again. I know I have a lot of unhappy customers since they are going to have to make their own cookies this year, and to them I am sorry :(

I would love to hear your favorite cookie recipes, too! I always love to try new recipes especially those in the form of sweets! You never know, your recipe might just end up on this cool blog! Ha Ha!

Banana Chocolate Chip Biscotti

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup margarine or stick butter, softened

1/2 cup mashed very ripe banana (1 medium)

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs

3 cups all purpose flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

melted chocolate for dipping

Heat oven to 350. Grease large cookie sheet.

Beat sugar and butter in a large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Beat in bananas, vanilla, and eggs til smooth. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in chocolate chips.

Divide dough in half. Shape each half into 10x3 inch rectangles on cookie sheet with greased hands (dough will be sticky).

Bake about 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on cookie sheet 15 min.

Cut crosswise into 1/2 inch slices. Turn slices cut side down. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown and dry on top. Turn cookies. Bake about 10 minutes longer or until golden brown. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Once cooled, dip the flat side into your melted chocolate.
Recipe from Betty Crocker Bridal Edition

Photo Credit: Madeline &Ryosuke