Cookies

Cookies are fantastic. You can whip up a batch any time, whether it's a pan-full, or the entire batch, share some with others, and still have plenty to keep. Check out today's six cookie recipes, including the Raisin Oatmeal Cookies, the Spiced Mexican Chocolate Cookies, or any of the other yummy cookies here. Enjoy!

3 INGREDIENT PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

This comes from Kristina Vanni at The Spruce Eats. For this recipe, she wrote, " Get ready for the easiest cookie recipe ever. These delicious peanut butter cookies require only three ingredients: peanut butter, sugar, and one egg. They take mere minutes to mix up and bake, perfect for last-minute cravings. It sounds too good to be true until you give it a try for yourself.

"You can use your favorite brand of peanut butter, creamy or chunky, but we recommend using a mainstream brand and not a drippy, natural nut butter. Since there are variations in texture from brand to brand, sometimes the cookie dough can be a bit soft and hard to roll. If so, simply refrigerate until it's firm enough to roll.

"Make these soft, nutty cookies with kids. The recipe doesn't require a mixer and is lightning fast for instant gratification. Plus, it's naturally gluten free."

Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 15 minutes; Makes 24 cookies (24 servings)

To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/3-ingredient-peanut-butter-cookies-recipe-5119147.

Ingredients

1 cup peanut butter

1 cup granulated sugar, plus more for decoration

1 large egg

Directions

Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large bowl combine the peanut butter, sugar, and egg. Stir until smooth and creamy.

Roll into 1-inch balls and place on the prepared baking sheet.

Place a small amount of sugar on a small plate. Dip a fork in the sugar and press into each ball of dough, flattening it slightly and making a crosshatch pattern. Dip the fork back in the sugar between each cookie.

Bake in the preheated oven until just golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before moving to a wire rack.

Continue cooling completely on a wire rack. Enjoy.

Tips

Commercial salted, creamy peanut butter works best for this recipe, such as Skippy, Peter Pan, or Jif. If using unsalted, add a pinch or two of salt to the recipe.

Be sure to use gluten-free peanut butter if you're on a gluten-free diet.

Recipe Variations

For a little extra sweet flavor, add 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract.

Add up to 1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips or drizzle the finished cookies in melted chocolate.

How to Store and Freeze

Store leftover cookies in an airtight container for up to three days.

To Freeze, form the dough on the baking sheets and stick in the freezer for an hour. Once frozen, transfer the unbaked cookies to a zip-top freezer bag and store for up to three months. The cookies can be baked from frozen; add a minute or two to the bake time.

How do you make peanut butter cookies taste better?

Peanut butter cookies should taste like peanuts. The ratio of peanut butter to the other ingredients in the recipe will ensure that the peanut flavor shines in every bite. You can add ingredients like vanilla or chocolate chips for extra flavor.

Should you refrigerate peanut butter cookie dough before baking?

Some peanut butter cookie recipes call for chilling the dough before baking to ensure the cookies don't spread too much. These simple three-ingredient peanut butter cookies don't require chilling since they aren't prone to spreading. It's best to follow the instructions for the recipe you're using.

Why are my peanut butter cookies falling apart?

If your cookies are falling apart, first double-check the measurements and directions and make sure you followed everything exactly. Did you thoroughly incorporate the ingredients? If you find the cookies are difficult to roll, try refrigerating the dough for one hour. This will firm up the dough and make it easier to handle.

SPICED MEXICAN CHOCOLATE COOKIES

This is from Betty Crocker, and begins, "We know what you're thinking; cinnamon, chocolate and... cayenne in a cookie!? Yup! Our Spiced Mexican Chocolate Cookies are a decadent, dark chocolate cookie elevated with a perfect hum of heat. These ingredients are traditionally found in Mexican cuisine, and when combined in the form of a dessert, the result is out-of-this-world good! The flavor profile of our Mexican chocolate cookies is rich, warming and simply irresistible. Try adding our cayenne chocolate cookies to your seasonal cookie tray, or have fun experimenting with a truly exciting new recipe. Remember, no whisk, no reward!"

Prep Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes; Servings: 36

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1-1/4 cups Gold Medal™ All-Purpose Flour

1/4 cup unsweetened baking cocoa

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)

1/2 cup butter, cut into pieces

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

3 tablespoons Demerara (raw) sugar

Directions

Heat oven to 350°F. In small bowl, mix flour, cocoa, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and red pepper; set aside.

In 2-quart saucepan, heat butter and chocolate chips over low heat, stirring occasionally, until melted. Remove from heat; stir in granulated sugar. Pour into large bowl. Beat in eggs with spoon one at a time until blended. Beat in vanilla. Stir in flour mixture until well blended. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.Shape dough into 36 (1-1/4 -inch) balls. Lightly butter hands if dough is sticky when shaping into balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets; flatten slightly. Sprinkle about 1/4 teaspoon of Demerara sugar over top of each cookie.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are set. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack. Cool completely, at least 20 minutes. Store covered in airtight container.

Tips from the Betty Crocker Kitchens

tip 1

Demerara sugar is an amber-colored cane sugar whose crystals are slightly larger than regular granulated sugar. Sprinkled over the top of these Spiced Mexican Chocolate Cookies, it adds a nice crunch and a lovely appearance.

Tip 2

When it comes to spices, freshness counts. To get the most flavor, spices should be stored in sealed containers and kept in a cool, dark place. Ground spices over a year old have likely faded in potency and won’t give your baked goods all the flavor they deserve.

tip 3

Cayenne may seem like a strange ingredient for a cookie, but, in this case, it adds just enough heat to be interesting, without being overwhelming.

tip 4

For best results, bake your Spiced Mexican Chocolate Cookies on the middle oven rack. For even baking, it’s best to bake one sheet at a time.

CHOCOLATE CRINKLE COOKIES

This is from Betty Crocker, and begins, "The “crinkle” in this recipe’s name comes from their distinctive crackle-top. The look is achieved through the transformation of sugar-coated dough balls into distinctively textured cookies. Not only are chocolate crinkle cookies beautiful to look at, they’re the perfect combination of chocolatey taste and chewy texture."

Prep Time: 1 hour 45 minutes; Total Time: 3 hours 45 minutes; Servings: 72

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1/2 cup vegetable oil

4 oz unsweetened baking chocolate, melted, cooled

2 cups granulated sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 eggs

2 cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup powdered sugar

Directions

In large bowl, mix oil, chocolate, granulated sugar and vanilla. Stir in eggs, one at a time. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt. Cover; refrigerate at least 3 hours.

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease cookie sheet with shortening or cooking spray.

Drop dough by teaspoonfuls into powdered sugar; roll around to coat and shape into balls. Place about 2 inches apart on cookie sheets.

Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until edges are set. Immediately remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks.

Tips from the Betty Crocker Kitchens

tip 1

When baking batches of cookies, use completely cooled cookie sheets. Cookies will spread too much if put on a hot or warm cookie sheet.

tip 2

What is baking chocolate? In its most traditional form it’s unsweetened, made from 100% chocolate liquor—which is processed and ground cocoa beans. It’s used in recipes that have enough sweeteners to balance its bitterness, serving up a deeply satisfying chocolate flavor.

tip 3

Because this dough is a dark, use your fingertip to check for doneness—err on the side of removing them from the oven a tad early rather than risk overbaking them.

Tip 4

Use baking parchment to line your baking sheets (instead of shortening or cooking spray) to make removing the warm cookies a breeze. You can reuse the sheets multiple times before recycling or composting them.

CHOCAPOCALYPSE COOKIES

This is from Alton Brown of the Food Network's show, Good Eats. Total Time: 2 hr 30 min; Prep: 45 min; Inactive: 1 hr 15 min; Cook: 30 min; Yield: 55 cookies; Level: Intermediate

To view this online, go to http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/chocapocalypse-cookie-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback

Ingredients

6 ounces 54-percent bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped

1-3/4 ounces all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

6 ounces light brown sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 ounces 70-percent bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

3 ounces 40-percent milk chocolate, coarsely chopped

2 ounces cocoa nibs

Directions

Place the 54-percent bittersweet chocolate and unsweetened chocolate in a medium glass mixing bowl and microwave on high for two 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval. If still not smooth, heat for 10 additional seconds at a time and stir until smooth. Set aside to cool to 90 degrees F, approximately 15 minutes.

Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together, transfer to a paper plate and set aside.

Put the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until combined and looks like wet sand, about 2 minutes.

Whisk the eggs and vanilla together in a small bowl. Turn the mixer on low speed and slowly add the egg mixture until fully incorporated. Pour in the melted chocolate and mix to combine. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl.

With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture and mix until integrated. Add the 70-percent bittersweet chocolate, 40-percent milk chocolate and the cocoa nibs and mix until combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Scoop the dough using a 1-1/4-inch-diameter disher or ice cream scoop onto parchment-lined half-sheet pans, placing 2 inches apart, 12 cookies per pan. Bake for 8 to 9 minutes, rotating after 5 minutes. Do not over-bake; the cookies may look wet and doughy.

Cool the cookies on the pan for 2 minutes, then transfer on the parchment paper to a cooling rack to cool completely.

RAISIN OATMEAL COOKIES

This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list, though it looks like it was from a diabetic list.

Yield: 2-1/2 dozen cookies (1 per serving)

Ingredients

6 tablespoons margarine, softened

1/4 cup fat-free sour cream

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1-1/2 cups quick-cooking oats

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup raisins for baking

Directions

Mix margarine, sour cream, egg, and vanilla in large bowl; mix in brown sugar. Mix in combined oats, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon. Mix in raisins.

Drop dough onto greased cookie sheets, using 2 tablespoons for each cookie. Bake at 350 degrees F. until browned, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (1 cookie): Calories: 90, Fat: 2.7 g, Cholesterol: 7.1 mg, Sodium: 57 mg, Protein: 1.5 g, Carbohydrate: 15.3 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1 Bread/Starch, 1/2 Fat

SOFT GINGER COOKIES

This is from Gesine Bullock-Prado in the January 2013 issue of Runners' World, page 36 (“The Athlete's Palate”). Genise writes, “Dates keep these whole-grain cookies moist without using butter or oil. 'Crystallized ginger adds the perfect bite--spicy and chewy at the same time,' says Bullock-Prado.” Makes 30 cookies.

To view this online, go to http://www.runnersworld.com/recipes/soft-ginger-cookies.

Ingredients

3/4 cup hot coffee

1 cup chopped, pitted dates

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 eggs at room temperature

1/4 cup organic blackstrap molasses

1-1/2 cups organic spelt flour or whole-wheat flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 cup chopped crystallized ginger

1/4 cup turbinado sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine coffee and dates and stir in baking soda. Let it sit for 10 minutes. Put mixture in a food processor; process until nearly smooth. In a bowl, whisk eggs and molasses. Continue whisking and add date puree. In a small bowl, whisk flour, salt, and spices. Stir into date mixture. Stir in ginger pieces until just combined. Freeze till very firm but scoopable (30 minutes). Using a teaspoon, drop dough into little mounds, a few inches apart, on a parchment-lined tray. Sprinkle sugar over cookies. Bake 10 minutes or until they feel spongy yet firm and spring back when gently poked.

Calories Per Cookie: 66; Carbs: 14 g; Fiber: 1 g; Protein: 1 g; Fat: .5 g

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