Liz's Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

 

*My sister-in-law makes the best Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies...I've loved them since the first time I tried them.  They are so good!  Once she posted the ingredients on this site and I had forgotten about it until yesterday.  Here it is again...as I was making them, I thought to myself, "Can this ratio of fat vs. flour/oatmeal be right?  I'll just try one dozen and see how they turn out."  No wonder they taste like heaven!  Even my husband likes them (not a peanut butter lover).  Indulge yourself...and be sure to share them...the ratio is so tasty. 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup shortening  (I used butter-flavored)
1/2 cup butter
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 T milk
1 1/2 cup flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup quick cooking oats
2 cups chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the milk and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the peanut butter mixture.   Add oatmeal.  Fold in chocolate chips.  Drop by tablespoons onto ungreased baking sheets.
3. Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are golden. Allow cookies to cool for 1 minute on the cookie sheet before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pretzel Bars

From Two Peas and Their Pod taken from Food and Wine

I have to admit, I love the sweet-salty combination and I was expecting a little more from this recipe then I got, but I post it here because I think I might want to give it another shot.  I only had the pretzel sticks, next time, I'll try the pretzel twists; I think they would break up better and make for a better distribution in the cookie.  Also, I just used semi-sweet chocolate chips and I have a feeling I would have liked the bittersweet more.  My kids called them brownie-cookies (they aren't used to the bar formation!).  Baking all the dough in one batch likes this made for less time in the kitchen!

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

1 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1 c light brown sugar

1/2 c sugar

2 large eggs

2 t pure vanilla extract

12 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips

1 1/2 c mini pretzels, coarsely chopped.

2 T chocolate sprinkles

Directions:

1.  Preheat the oven to 350°. Spray a 9-by-13-inch pan with cooking spray.

2.  In a bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda and salt. Using a mixer, beat the butter with both sugars at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract. On low, beat in the dry ingredients, just until incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips and pretzel pieces.

3.  Spread the batter evenly in the pan. Press the batter down with a spatula. If you want to use the sprinkles, sprinkle them on top of the batter. Bake for 30 minutes, until golden brown. The middle might be a little gooey but that is ok, the bars will set up. Transfer the pan to a rack and let cool completely.

4.  Use a knife to go around the side of the pan to loosen the bars. Cut the bars in squares and serve.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

From Allrecipes

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups chopped semisweet chocolate

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the corn syrup, water, and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the peanut butter mixture. Fold in chocolate chunks. Drop by tablespoons onto ungreased baking sheets.
3. Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are golden. Allow cookies to cool for 1 minute on the cookie sheet before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

*I really liked these, but they were just okay for my husband who isn't a peanut butter lover.

Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

*These oatmeal cookies had great flavor, but they didn't turn out quite a pretty for me as from the site I found them on.  Still, I think the recipe is a keeper.  Instant oats might help them appear more smooth as well as using part shortening and part butter.

From A Bountiful Kitchen

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
2 large eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup raisins (I like golden raisins best)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream butter and sugars together.  Add eggs and vanilla, and beat until fluffy.  Place flour, baking soda, baking powder and kosher salt in bowl with wet ingredients.  Mix just until incorporated. Add 3 cups oats, mix with large spoon. Fold in raisins.
Drop dough onto lightly greased cookie sheet, or sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 9-11 minutes or until golden brown.

Raspberry Almond Kiss Cookies

From Allrecipes
Ingredients:
1/2 c butter, softened
1/2 c white sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
1 egg
1 t almond extract
2 c all-purpose flour
1 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1/4 c white sugar for decoration

40 milk chocolate candy kisses, unwrapped

1 c confectioners' sugar
1 T milk
4 t raspberry jam
1/4 t almond extract

Directions:
1.  In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, 1/2 c white sugar and brown sugar until smooth.  Blend in the egg and 1 t almond extract.  Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; stir into the creamed mixture.  Cover dough and refrigerate at least one hour, or until easy to handle.
2.  Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.  Roll dough into 1 inch balls, roll the balls in the remaining white sugar and place them 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.
3.  Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.  While hot from the oven, immediately press a chocolate kiss into the center of each one.  Remove the cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.
4.  In a small bowl, mix together the confectioners' sugar, milk, raspberry jam and 1/4 t almond extract until smooth.  Drizzle over cooled cookies.

*I'm not a big fan of icing, but this was a delicate touch for these cookies.  I liked eating them when the kiss was still soft and warm and the almond flavor was great!

Reese's Chewy Chocolate Cookies

Adapted from Reese's Peanut Butter Chips package

Ingredients:
2 c all-purpose flour
3/4 c cocoa
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1/2 c margarine, softened
3/4 c shortening
2 c sugar
2 eggs
2 t vanilla extract
1 package Reese's Peanut Butter chips (1 2/3 c)

Directions:
1.  Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
2.  Stir together flour, cocoa, soda, and salt.
3.  Beat margarine, shortening, and sugar in large bowl with mixer until fluffy.  Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.  Gradually add flour mixture, beating well.  Stir in peanut butter chips.
4.  Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake 8 to 10 minutes (do not overbake, cookies will be soft).  Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.  Cool completely. Makes about 4 dozen.

*These are very soft.  If you like cocoa and peanut butter chips, you'll like these.

Chocolate Swirls

From This Week for Dinner

Ingredients:

1/2 C sugar
1/2 C packed brown sugar
1/2 C butter, softened
3 oz cream cheese, softened

1 egg
1 t vanilla
2 C all purpose flour
1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1 C semisweet chocolate ships, melted and slightly cooled

Directions:

Heat oven to 350F. In large mixing bowl combine sugars, butter, cream cheese, egg and vanilla. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add flour, baking powder and salt. Beat at low speed until soft dough forms. Fold melted chips into dough until lightly marbled. (do not overmix)

Drop dough by heaping teaspoons 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 mins, or until edges are light golden brown. Cool completly before storing.

*This is one of the few cookies I've made that Jeff likes as much as Amber's Chocolate Chip Cookies.  Soft and tasty--melting the chocolate chips gives them a different kind of look.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

A friend of mine told me about these cookies--what impressed me most was the short list of ingredients!  Wow, who knew?  In addition to the 3 ingredients in the photo, I also added a bit of pumpkin pie spice.  These taste just like the pumpkin chocolate chip cookies that the bakery at my local grocery store make--I wonder if they use this short cut, too?  I didn't even bother getting out my big mixer--you can do this by hand.  They are very soft and cake-like and even Jeff liked them.

Ingredients:

1 package spice cake mix

1 can pumpkin (15 oz)

1/2 t pumpkin pie spice

chocolate chips (to liking, about 1/3 package for us)

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
2.  Blend together cake mix, pumpkin, and spice; mixing well.  Add chocolate chips.
3.  Drop by rounded spoonfuls on prepared sheets.
4.  Bake for 10-14 minutes, let cool at least 5 minutes on sheets before transferring to wire racks to finish cooling.

Just for fun, I figured out some health information about these cookies.
Amounts are based per cookie (recipe makes 30 cookies)
Total calories: 98 calories
Fat calories: 10.8 calories (not grams)
Protein grams: 1.3 grams
Fiber grams: 0.7 grams
In comparison, this is less than 1/2 the calories for a regular chocolate chip cookie, much less fat, and more protein and fiber.  So easy, so good, so simple.

Old Fashion Oatmeal Cookies

*I copied this recipe over a decade ago from my Grandmother Jennie's recipe box.  Who knows how long she had it.  That got me to thinking, "What makes a cookie old fashion?"  Whatever the answer is, there is a certain nystalga about this cookie.  Maybe it was me imagining Grandma making them for my Dad as a little boy.  It was like I could feel her celebrating fall with the warm smell of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice--perfect for the first chilly day of the autumn.  Now, I must admit, I didn't think old fashion meant healthy, but with only 1/2 cup butter in 3 dozen cookies and 3 bananas with 2 cups oatmeal, this is a happy cookie.  Expect a healthy taste.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup flour
1/2 t backing soda
2 t cinnamon
1 t allspice
1/2 t cloves
1 t salt
1/2 c butter
1 1/2 c sugar (I took that to mean 1 c brown sugar and 1/2 c white)
1 egg
3 ripe mashed bananas
2 c oatmeal
1 c chopped nuts (I used cashews, as that's what I had)
1 c chocolate chips

Directions:
Shift dry ingredients together.  Cream butter with sugar until fluffy.  Add egg and bananas mixing well.  Stir in oats, nuts, chocolate chips.  Let stand 10 minutes.  Drop from teaspoon on a well greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 375 degrees F for 10-12 minutes.

Yields 40 cookies.

*These cookies will tend to flatten.  I actually left the dough in the refrigerator for more than an hour before baking to help with that.  I also like the thought that I ended up with 41 cookies--after my kiddos and eye snacked on some of the dough--that means Grandma liked dough, too. 

Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

Adapted from Allrecipes
Makes 3 dozen

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 t baking soda

1 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

1 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup white sugar

1 (3.4 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix

2 eggs

2 t vanilla extract

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Sift together the flour and baking soda, set aside.

2.  In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar.  Beat in the instant pudding mix until blended.  Stir in the eggs and vanilla.  Blend in the flour mixture.  Finally, stir in the chocolate chips and nuts.  Drop cookies by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

3.  Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven.  Edges should be golden.

*Soft.  Chill cookie dough before baking.

Outrageous Peanut Butter Cookies

1/2 c all-purpose flour
1/4 t baking soda
1/2 c firmly packed dark brown sugar
4 T butter, softened
4 t well-beaten egg (1/2 egg)
1/2 t vanilla extract
2/3 c extra-chunky peanut butter
3 T uncooked regular oats
1 (1.8 oz) chocolate-coated caramel-peanut butter-peanut candy bar, chopped (like Reese’s NutRageous)
2 T granulated sugar
1/4 c chocolate chips

1. Combined flour and baking soda.

2. Beat brown sugar and next 3 ingredients at low speed with an electric mixer 1 minute or until blended. Add peanut butter, and beat 20 seconds or until blended. Add flour mixture, and beat 30 seconds or until well blended. Stir in oats and chopped candy bar and chocolate chips.

3. Drop dough by heaping tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart on an aluminum foil or parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Dip bottom of a drinking glass in granulated sugar, and flatten mound of dough. Repeat process with remaining sugar and mounds of dough.

4. Bake at 325 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on baking sheet 2 minutes; removed cookies to wire rack to cool completely.

Makes 16 cookies.

*I really liked these, but I have to admit they can't take the place of Amber's classic chocolate chip cookies.  That of course didn't stop them from being devoured--even by Jeff (my husband that isn't captivated by the irresistible draw of peanut butter).  Honestly, I'm pretty sure we grown-ups didn't point out the cookie container to our kids the couple of days that they lasted.  Next time, I will definitely just double the recipe!

Orange Chocolate Chunk Cookies

(Courtesy of Mrs. Fields):
Makes 3 dozen

2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp grated orange peel (1 med. orange)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 sticks butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 tsp orange extract
8 oz semisweet chocolate bar, coarsely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups--or you can use chocolate chips)

Combine flour, soda, salt, and orange peel. Mix with wire whisk. In a separate bowl blend sugars, butter, eggs, and orange extract. Add the flour mixture and chopped chocolate. Blend on low speed until just combined.

Bake at 300 for 18-22 minutes.

*Do you think the orange in these can count as a fruit serving?  These remind me of Christmas! 


Variation:

I made these again this week only using 1/2 cup shortening and 1 cube margarine.  I also refrigerated the dough before baking.  I liked these better! 

Homemade Oreos

From This Week for Dinner

Makes 25 to 30 sandwich cookies

Chocolate Wafers:
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) room-temperature, unsalted butter
- 1 large egg

Filling:
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) room-temperature, unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
- 2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Set two racks in the middle of the oven. Preheat to 375°F.
2. In a food processor, or bowl of an electric mixer, thoroughly mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda and powder, salt, and sugar. While pulsing, or on low speed, add the butter, and then the egg. Continue processing or mixing until dough comes together in a mass.
3. Take rounded teaspoons of batter and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet approximately two inches apart. With moistened hands, slightly flatten the dough. Bake for 9 minutes, rotating once for even baking. Set baking sheets on a rack to cool.
4. To make the cream, place butter and shortening in a mixing bowl, and at low speed, gradually beat in the sugar and vanilla. Turn the mixer on high and beat for 2 to 3 minutes until filling is light and fluffy.
5. To assemble the cookies, in a pastry bag with a 1/2 inch, round tip, pipe teaspoon-size blobs of cream into the center of one cookie. Place another cookie, equal in size to the first, on top of the cream. Lightly press, to work the filling evenly to the outsides of the cookie. Continue this process until all the cookies have been sandwiched with cream.

*These are very sweet cookies--I definitely need to give them another go around before I get them to how they are supposed to be.  I made the wafers too big and flattened them to flat.  I also just spread the frosting on one cookie and then topped it with another.  Nonetheless, they were gone within a day!

Heavenly Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookie

Taken from This Week for Dinner

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
3/4 cup peanut butter


Directions
1.  In small bowl blend flour, cocoa and baking soda. Mix until well blended.
2.  In large bowl beat sugar, butter or margarine and 1/4 cup peanut butter, until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and egg, beat. Stir in flour mixture until blended. Set aside.
3.  To make Filling: Combine confectioner’s sugar and 3/4 cup peanut butter. Blend well.
4.  Roll filling into 30 – 1 inch balls. (I used my dough scraper to divide the dough and peanut butter, this made it easier to gage).

5.  For each cookie, with lightly floured hands if needed, shape about 1 Tablespoon of dough around 1 peanut butter ball, covering completely.  (A hint:  flatten dough, then shape around peanut butter ball.  Piece as needed.)

6.  Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten with glass.  Dip tops in sugar. 
7.  Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 7-9 minutes. When cookies are done, they should be set and slightly cracked.


*Yummy and fun to make.  Do not overcook.  These didn't last long at our house!

Magic Cookie Bars

From Eagle Brand

Ingredients

•    1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
•    1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
•    1 (14 ounce) can EAGLE BRAND® Sweetened Condensed Milk
•    2 cups semisweet chocolate morsels
•    1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
•    1 cup chopped nuts

Directions

1.  Heat oven to 350 degrees F (325 degrees for glass dish). Coat 13x9-inch baking pan with no-stick cooking spray.

2.  Combine graham cracker crumbs and butter. Press into bottom of prepared pan. Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over crumb mixture. Layer evenly with chocolate chips, coconut and nuts. Press down firmly with a fork.

3.  Bake 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool. Cut into bars or diamonds. Store covered at room temperature.

*I made these for a bake sale.  They were easy and tasted good, but there are other desserts I would choose before making them again (I'm not a huge coconut fan).

Baked Banana Doughnuts

Baked Banana DoughnutsTaken from the Noble Pig
2 ripe bananas, mashed
2 egg whites
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup packed brown sugar
1-3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour

2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
2 Tablespoons chopped walnuts

Beat bananas, egg whites, oil and brown sugar in a large bowl.  Add flours, baking powder, baking soda and pumpkin pie spice.  Mix until well blended.  Let stand for five minutes for dough to rise.  Scoop out heaping tablespoonfuls of dough onto a greased baking sheet.

With the tip of a butter knife round out the doughnut holes in the center of the dough.  Then use the butter knife to smooth outside edges of dough into round doughnut shape.  Repeat until all dough is used.

Sprinkle with granulated sugar and walnuts.  Bake 6 to 10 minutes (mine took 8) in a 425 degree oven or until tops are golden.

Remove from pan and place on a wire rack to cool.

I decided to drizzle some icing on them as well.  It was the perfect addition.  I used a 1/3 cup powdered sugar and 2 Tablespoons of milk. Variation:  You could also use 8 ounces solid pack pumpkin instead of bananas to make pumpkin doughnuts.



*Who knew you could make doughnuts with only 1 T oil!  Kind of deceptive, this is more like a banana cake cookie.

Soft Cut Out Cookies

CREAM
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla

ADD
1 cup sour cream
6 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda

Roll 1/4 inch thick and cut with cookie cutter.  Bake at 400 degrees for 5-7 minutes 'till just barely brown (do not overcook).

*So soft, the best sugar cookie I have ever had.  These cookies have become a tradition at our house as part of our Christmas deliveries.  However, being the start of spring, we decide to celebrate with new cookie cutters!  We made a color wheel of sorts by mixing the frostings to come up with the colors we wanted.  Lots of fun!  Makes about 5 dozen.

Scripture Cookies

By Paula Weed

From “Scripture Cookies,” Friend, Mar. 2010, 13

Find each ingredient by looking up the scripture reference and filling in the blank. (Check your answers at the bottom of the page before making the cookies.)

1/2 cup “When I washed my steps with _______________” (Job 29:6). 3/4 cup “To what purpose cometh there to me … , the _______________ from a far country?” (Jeremiah 6:20). 1 “As one gathereth _______________ that are left have I gathered all the earth” (2 Nephi 20:14). 1/2 teaspoon “Spices for anointing _______________, and for the _______________ incense” (Exodus 35:8). 1 3/4 cups “And thou shalt take fine _______________, and bake twelve cakes thereof” (Leviticus 24:5). 3/4 teaspoon “A little _______________ leaveneth the whole lump” (Galatians 5:9). 1/4 teaspoon “Ye are the _______________ of the earth” (Matthew 5:13). 1 cup “Their root is _______________ up, they shall bear no _______________” (Hosea 9:16). 

• 
  
  1. Wash your hands and ask an adult to preheat the oven to 400˚F (205˚C).
• 
  
  2. Mix first four ingredients together.
• 
  
  3. Mix in remaining ingredients.
• 
  
  4. Roll dough into 1-inch (2.5-cm) balls and place on an ungreased baking sheet.
• 
  
  5. Flatten balls with fork, first one way and then the other, making a crisscross pattern.
• 
  
  6. Bake 8 to 10 minutes.

Answers:

1/2 cup butter, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 egg, 1/2 teaspoon lemon oil or extract, 1 3/4 cups flour, 3/4 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 cup dried fruit (for example, cherries, cranberries, mangos, or apricots).

*The kids and I made these for our FHE treat.  A fun way to get into the scriptures--and then we were rewarded with a delicate shortbread, sugar cookie-type treat.