Peanut Blossoms - GF

I'm not big on peanut butter...especially with chocolate, but I wanted to make a traditional holiday cookie this year...one that I could eat! I opted for these, as the recipe I found (on the General Mills' website) looked fairly straightforward. The cookies turned out really well, with only one adjustment to the recipe - baking time. Not sure if this is just a standard issue with GF baking (inconsistent baking times) or if it has more to do with the fact that my cookie sheets are stoneware....anyone have thoughts on that?

So, as I said, these cookies turned out really well. However, I made one big rookie mistake. I topped them with Hershey Kisses....without first checking allergen info about Hershey Kisses......I had a reaction and learned through several different GF blogs and message boards that Hershey's chocolate isn't gluten free. A lot of GF people react to Hershey's chocolate and Hershey's doesn't provide consistent info about allergens (according to these posts I read - I haven't contacted them myself). So, after becoming violently ill, I've sworn off Hershey's.  Next time I make these cookies, I'll be sure to use chocolate that I can ensure is GF.

 Peanut Blossoms
General Mills

Ingredients:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1 1/2 cups Bisquick GF mix
chocolate candies for topping

Directions:
In a large bowl, mix 1/2 cup of granulated sugar, the brown sugar, peanut butter, shortening, butter and egg. Stir in Bisquick mix. Cover; refrigerate 1 hour, or until firm.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. In small bowl, place remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar. Shape dough into 1-inch balls, roll in granulated sugar. On ungreased cookie sheets, place balls 2 inches apart.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes (I had to bake much longer) or until light golden brown. Immediately top each cookie with 1 chocolate candy, pressing down firmly so cookie cracks around edge. Remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks.

Peanut Butter-Stuffed Milk Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

I found this recipe in Rachael Ray's magazine and thought they would be perfect for Luke. He loves chocolate and loves peanut butter - and he really loves them together. I love chocolate - but not peanut butter. I figured this would be a good recipe to try, as I need to stop baking things I love to eat. The problem is, I love chocolate....and ending up eating some of these cookies prior to sandwiching them together with the frosting. Ah well, it was worth the effort! Luke and Laura both sampled these, and then I sent the rest to work with Luke.  The recipe is easy, but doesn't make many cookies - so I recommend doubling it - as you might as well get more cookies out of your effort!

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups (15 ounces) milk chocolate chips
4 Tbsp. butter, at room temperature (divided)
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt (divided)
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
3 Tbsp. powdered sugar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 cookies sheets with parchment paper. In a medium microwavable bowl, melt together 2 cups chocolate chips and 2 Tbsp. butter on medium power until almost melted, about 1 1/2 minutes, stir just until smooth.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and 1/4 tsp. salt. Using an electric mixer, beat together the eggs, sugar and vanilla at high speed until thickened and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

Mix in the melted chocolate at medium speed, whisk in the flour mixture. Stir in the remaining 1/2 cup of chocolate chips. Refrigerate the dough until firm enough to scoop, but still soft (10 to 15 minutes).

Onto each prepared pan, drop rounded tablespoons of dough two inches apart.

Bake until the cookies appear bubbly and soft, about 15 minutes. Let cool completely.

 In a medium bowl, beat together the remaining 2 Tbsp. butter and the peanut butter. Sift in the powdered sugar and the remaining 1/4 tsp. salt, beat until fluffy (I needed to add additional powdered sugar, as mine was not very fluffy). On the flat side of half the cookies, spread the peanut butter mixture and then sandwich together with another cookie.

Lemon Tea Cookies

As I've already posted several lemon recipes...you could probably guess that I love lemons.  LOVE the flavor. These cookies are so yummy. I am not sure where the recipe came from, when I pull recipes from a magazine I usually just tear out the page....this recipe was written on a card, so I must have gotten it from someone, though I don't know who. These cookies are light and fresh tasting. So light, in fact, that I just ate four of them with my morning coffee.  Dangerous.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. grated lemon zest

Directions:
Whisk together flour, cornstarch, powdered sugar and salt in a bowl. Cream the butter in a large bowl with a mixer on medium, add lemon juice and zest, beating until combined.

Add the flour mixture on low speed until well mixed. Divide the dough in half, roll each half into a log. Wrap in  plastic and refrigerate for one hour.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut each log into slices, arrange on a baking sheet about 1 inch apart. Bake until firm (10 to 12 minutes for 1/4 inch slices, longer for 1/2 inch slices). Transfer to wire rack to cool.

Frosting recipe:
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
lemon zest for garnish

Beat powdered sugar, butter and lemon juice with mixer until fluffy. Frost cookies while they are still warm.

Ginger molasses cookies

These cookies are so yummy. I think I actually like them better than chocolate chip cookies....and I know they are Luke's favorite - he loves ginger snaps and milk....like a little boy:) The best part about these cookies, is the delightful smell while they are baking - cinnamon, cloves, ginger, yummmmmmmy.

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup shortening
1 egg
4 Tbsp. molasses
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp.ground ginger
1 tsp. cloves

Directions:
Cream together sugar, shortening and egg. In another bowl, mix dry ingredients. Add cream mixture to dry ingredients and combine. Roll dough in small balls and roll in sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for about 11 minutes - watch for the cookies to spread out and start to crinkle/crack. Don't overbake or they will become too hard.....and they are yummy soft.

sandwich cookies

These cookies will literally melt in your mouth.  They are very delicate, and quite frankly, a pain in the rear.  They are incredibly delicious, however.  I get requests to make them every Christmas....I used to also make them for Valentines, Easter, etc.....but I've gotten lazy and don't make them very often anymore.  Because they are very delicate, they are hard to frost and will break apart easily.  You can use any shape cookie cutters, but they should be kept small, as they will be easier to frost. 

Cookies:
2 cups flour
1 cup butter
1/3 cup heavy or whipping cream
1 cup granulated sugar

Mix 2 cups flour, 1 cup butter and 1/3 cup cream until crumbly dough is formed.  Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.  Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Take out dough, roll to 1/4 inch thick on a heavily floured board.  Dough is hard to work with, keep cold and use a lot of flour.  Use a small cutter to make shapes.  Sprinkle or coat in granulated sugar.  Bake 7 to 9 minutes. Cool before frosting.

 Frosting:
1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
food coloring
Mix 1/4 cup butter, 3/4 cup powdered sugar, 1 tsp. vanilla until smooth. Add food coloring to achieve desired shade.