Cookies
Cookies are a wonderful dessert for a variety of reasons (and a variety of cookies): they smell great baking, they're portable, there's usually more than enough to share, they taste wonderful. What's not to love?
To that end, check out my grandmother's two cookie recipes (Grandma’s Peanut Butter Cookies and Grandma’s Oatmeal Cookies), the Ginger Molasses Cookies, and the rest of today's yummy cookie recipes. Enjoy!
CHERRY PIE COOKIE BARS
This recipe is from Ree Drummond at the Food Network.
Active Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes (includes cooling time); Yield: 12 bars; Level: Easy
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Cookie Bars:
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
1-1/3 cups (2 sticks plus 5 tablespoons) salted butter, softened
1/2 orange, zested
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons whole milk
One 30-ounce can cherry pie filling
Glaze:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon whole milk
1 lemon, zested
Directions
For the cookie bars: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Cream together the granulated sugar, butter and orange zest in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until pale and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing in between, then the vanilla. Mix until fully incorporated.
Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Add half the dry ingredients to the butter-sugar mixture, mixing, then add half the milk. Add the remaining dry ingredients followed by the remaining milk and mix until the dough comes together.
Press two-thirds of the dough into the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish. Pour over the cherry pie filling and spread it out evenly. Drop spoonfuls of the remaining dough over the pie filling. Bake until the edges and top are golden and the center is set, 35 to 40 minutes. Let the bars cool and set, 15 to 20 minutes.
For the glaze. Add the confectioners' sugar, milk and lemon zest to a bowl and stir until smooth. Drizzle over the bars. Cut into bars in the baking dish and serve.
GRANDMA'S PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES
This was one of my grandmother's recipes, along with the oatmeal cookie recipe that follows. You can find them in my e-cookbook, Off The Wall Cooking.
Ingredients
1/2 C butter
1/2 C peanut butter
1/2 C sugar
1 egg, well beaten
1-1/4 C flour
3/4 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
Directions
Cream butter and peanut butter together. Add sugar gradually and cream thoroughly. Add egg. Sift flour once before measuring. Sift flour, soda, baking powder and salt together and add to creamed mixture. Chill dough well, then form into balls the size of walnuts. Place balls on lightly greased baking sheet. Flatten with fork dipped in flour, making criss-cross pattern. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.
GRANDMA'S OATMEAL COOKIES
Another one of my grandmother's recipes. When it came to baking, cookies were her specialty. You can also find these in my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking
Ingredients
1 C flour
1 C brown sugar
3 C quick cooking oatmeal (NOT the instant oats!)
1 C butter or margarine
1/4 C boiling water
1-1/2 tsp. baking soda
Directions
Mix flour and brown sugar. Add oatmeal; stir. Melt butter; add to dry ingredients. Mix baking soda into boiling water; add to other ingredients, stirring well. Place batter into loaf pan, lined with aluminum foil and place in freeze for several hours. Slice and bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes.
Oatmeal Cookie dough, taken from the freezer; showing first cuts before baking
Then cut down the center, like so:
Placed on parchment paper-covered baking sheet, for easier handling
GINGER MOLASSES COOKIES
This yummy recipe is from Jessie Sheehan at The Spruce Eats. Jessie wrote, "Our chewy ginger molasses cookies are a true holiday cookie dream. Take a bite of chewy centers, crispy edges, and the best fall spices like ginger, cinnamon, and a dash of white pepper for a little kick. Tossed in granulated sugar before baking, the resulting cookie is a sparkly treat with a wonderful bite. These cookies travel well when packaged carefully and are a perfect addition to any dessert table after the Thanksgiving or Christmas meal. They also make a great everyday dessert when served on their own or with vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel.
"Making the cookies does not require a stand or hand mixer and they freeze beautifully, either pre- or post-bake, making them a fabulous choice if you like to plan and make ahead."
Prep Time: 25 minutes; Cook Time: 12 minutes; Chilling the Dough: 80 minutes; Total Time: 117 minutes; Servings: 18 servings; Yield: 36 cookies
To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/ginger-molasses-cookies-5086423.
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon white pepper, optional
6 ounces (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup molasses
Granulated sugar, for rolling
Directions
Gather the ingredients.
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and white pepper, if using.
In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and sugar until smooth.
Add the egg and yolk one at a time, whisking after each addition.
Add the vanilla and molasses and whisk until smooth.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently fold with a flexible spatula to combine. Place the dough in the refrigerator until it has a scoopable texture, or about 20 to 30 minutes.
Scoop the dough into 1-1/2 tablespoon balls using a small ice cream scoop or measuring spoons.
Roll each ball in granulated sugar and place on the prepared cookie sheets, about 12 balls per sheet. Place the sheets in the freezer to firm up for about 30 minutes to an hour. This will prevent the cookies from spreading when baked.
Roll the cookie balls in granulated sugar again for extra sparkle. Bake for about 12 minutes until the tops are cracked and the cookies are slightly puffy. Once removed from the oven, flatten each cookie lightly with a spatula. Serve warm or cold.
For Great Results
Follow our expert advice to make unforgettable ginger cookies:
Bake for 12 minutes for a chewier cookie. For a crispier cookie, bake for 14 minutes.
Refrigerate the dough overnight and up to 72 hours for extra-chewy cookies.
Re-sugar the baked cookies by dipping each side in a shallow bowl of granulated sugar while still warm for even more sparkle.
Keep in an airtight container on the counter for three days or freeze in a resealable plastic bag for up to a month.
Other Flavors and Additions
For a different flavor profile, here are some of our favorite variations:
Add cayenne pepper instead of white pepper for a different kind of heat.
Add 3/4 cup chocolate chips or chunks for a delicious ginger chocolate cookie.
Add 3/4 cup macadamia nuts, almonds, or cashews for a nutty flavor and extra texture. If needed, use sunflower seeds for a cookie that's free of tree nuts.
Use turbinado sugar, rather than granulated, for even more sparkle and crunch.
Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, rather than just granulated, for an even spicier finish.
Scoop the cookies with a 1/4-cup ice cream scoop, rather than one sized at 1-1/2 tablespoons, and make jumbo ginger molasses cookies.
CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
This delicious-ness is from the Food Network. Active Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes; Yield: 36 cookies; Level: Easy
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/chocolate-chocolate-chip-cookies-recipe-1957918.
Ingredients
2-1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 sticks butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 cups chocolate chips, 2 Hershey's chocolate bars, chopped or M&M'S
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a bowl stir together flour, salt, and baking soda. In another large bowl stir together butter, both sugars, eggs, vanilla and cocoa. Gradually stir flour mixture into butter mixture and mix until combined. Stir chocolate chips and walnuts, if using, and stir to distribute evenly.
For cookies: Drop dough by tablespoonfuls onto greased baking sheets and bake about 10 minutes. Cool on a baking rack.
For bars: Pat dough into a greased 9 inch square baking pan and bake 20 to 25 minutes. Cut into squares when cooled.
PERFECT BLACK AND WHITE COOKIES
This is from Melissa Clark at The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Melissa wrote, “Tender, moist and scented with vanilla, almond and lemon, these classic confections popular all over the Midwest and the state of New York are more cake than cookie, with a fine crumb and velvet texture from the sour cream in the batter. Even better, they are glazed with both vanilla and chocolate, so you don’t have to pick favorites. These are best eaten within 24 hours of baking, when the cake is at its softest and the glaze at its snappiest. But if you store them in an airtight container at room temperature, they’ll be good for a few days longer.”
Yield: 12 to 14 cookies; Time: 1 hour, plus cooling
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020254-perfect-black-and-white-cookies.
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup sour cream or whole-milk yogurt
1/3 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), at room temperature
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoonsgranulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
For the Glaze:
2-1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
Boiling water, as needed
1-1/2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of fine sea salt
2-1/2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
2-1/2 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
Preparation
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Arrange racks in top and bottom thirds, and line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, sea salt and baking soda. In a medium bowl, whisk together sour cream, milk, vanilla, lemon zest and almond extract.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
Reduce speed to low and beat in 1/3 of the flour mixture, then 1/3 of the sour cream mixture. Repeat until both mixtures are incorporated, scraping sides of bowl as necessary. (Mixture will be the consistency of thick poundcake batter.)
Dollop heaping 1/4-cup scoops of batter onto prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. (You should have 12 to 14 cookies.) Bake for 6 minutes. Rotate the baking sheets. Continue to bake until the cookies have firmed up and spring back when lightly pressed in the center, 6 to 9 minutes. (They’ll brown only on the bottoms.) Take care not to overbake, or they will dry out.
Transfer baking sheets to wire racks and let cool for 15 minutes, then transfer cookies directly to racks to cool completely.
While the cookies cool, make the glaze: Place the confectioners’ sugar in a medium bowl and whisk in 3 tablespoons boiling water, the corn syrup, vanilla and salt. Continue to whisk, adding more boiling water as needed, until you have a thick yet spreadable frosting that is the texture of hot fudge sauce. (Too thick is preferable to too thin.) Flip each cookie over and spoon glaze over half of its flat side, spreading to edges with the back of the spoon. Place on wire rack to set. You will have vanilla frosting left over.
Whisk melted chocolate into vanilla frosting, then whisk in cocoa and enough room temperature water to make a thick yet spreadable glaze. Glaze the bare half of each cookie. Let glaze set for at least 1 to 2 hours before serving.
To that end, check out my grandmother's two cookie recipes (Grandma’s Peanut Butter Cookies and Grandma’s Oatmeal Cookies), the Ginger Molasses Cookies, and the rest of today's yummy cookie recipes. Enjoy!
CHERRY PIE COOKIE BARS
This recipe is from Ree Drummond at the Food Network.
Active Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes (includes cooling time); Yield: 12 bars; Level: Easy
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Cookie Bars:
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
1-1/3 cups (2 sticks plus 5 tablespoons) salted butter, softened
1/2 orange, zested
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons whole milk
One 30-ounce can cherry pie filling
Glaze:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon whole milk
1 lemon, zested
Directions
For the cookie bars: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Cream together the granulated sugar, butter and orange zest in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until pale and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing in between, then the vanilla. Mix until fully incorporated.
Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Add half the dry ingredients to the butter-sugar mixture, mixing, then add half the milk. Add the remaining dry ingredients followed by the remaining milk and mix until the dough comes together.
Press two-thirds of the dough into the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish. Pour over the cherry pie filling and spread it out evenly. Drop spoonfuls of the remaining dough over the pie filling. Bake until the edges and top are golden and the center is set, 35 to 40 minutes. Let the bars cool and set, 15 to 20 minutes.
For the glaze. Add the confectioners' sugar, milk and lemon zest to a bowl and stir until smooth. Drizzle over the bars. Cut into bars in the baking dish and serve.
GRANDMA'S PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES
This was one of my grandmother's recipes, along with the oatmeal cookie recipe that follows. You can find them in my e-cookbook, Off The Wall Cooking.
Ingredients
1/2 C butter
1/2 C peanut butter
1/2 C sugar
1 egg, well beaten
1-1/4 C flour
3/4 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
Directions
Cream butter and peanut butter together. Add sugar gradually and cream thoroughly. Add egg. Sift flour once before measuring. Sift flour, soda, baking powder and salt together and add to creamed mixture. Chill dough well, then form into balls the size of walnuts. Place balls on lightly greased baking sheet. Flatten with fork dipped in flour, making criss-cross pattern. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.
GRANDMA'S OATMEAL COOKIES
Another one of my grandmother's recipes. When it came to baking, cookies were her specialty. You can also find these in my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking
Ingredients
1 C flour
1 C brown sugar
3 C quick cooking oatmeal (NOT the instant oats!)
1 C butter or margarine
1/4 C boiling water
1-1/2 tsp. baking soda
Directions
Mix flour and brown sugar. Add oatmeal; stir. Melt butter; add to dry ingredients. Mix baking soda into boiling water; add to other ingredients, stirring well. Place batter into loaf pan, lined with aluminum foil and place in freeze for several hours. Slice and bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes.
Oatmeal Cookie dough, taken from the freezer; showing first cuts before baking
Then cut down the center, like so:
Placed on parchment paper-covered baking sheet, for easier handling
GINGER MOLASSES COOKIES
This yummy recipe is from Jessie Sheehan at The Spruce Eats. Jessie wrote, "Our chewy ginger molasses cookies are a true holiday cookie dream. Take a bite of chewy centers, crispy edges, and the best fall spices like ginger, cinnamon, and a dash of white pepper for a little kick. Tossed in granulated sugar before baking, the resulting cookie is a sparkly treat with a wonderful bite. These cookies travel well when packaged carefully and are a perfect addition to any dessert table after the Thanksgiving or Christmas meal. They also make a great everyday dessert when served on their own or with vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel.
"Making the cookies does not require a stand or hand mixer and they freeze beautifully, either pre- or post-bake, making them a fabulous choice if you like to plan and make ahead."
Prep Time: 25 minutes; Cook Time: 12 minutes; Chilling the Dough: 80 minutes; Total Time: 117 minutes; Servings: 18 servings; Yield: 36 cookies
To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/ginger-molasses-cookies-5086423.
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon white pepper, optional
6 ounces (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup molasses
Granulated sugar, for rolling
Directions
Gather the ingredients.
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and white pepper, if using.
In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and sugar until smooth.
Add the egg and yolk one at a time, whisking after each addition.
Add the vanilla and molasses and whisk until smooth.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently fold with a flexible spatula to combine. Place the dough in the refrigerator until it has a scoopable texture, or about 20 to 30 minutes.
Scoop the dough into 1-1/2 tablespoon balls using a small ice cream scoop or measuring spoons.
Roll each ball in granulated sugar and place on the prepared cookie sheets, about 12 balls per sheet. Place the sheets in the freezer to firm up for about 30 minutes to an hour. This will prevent the cookies from spreading when baked.
Roll the cookie balls in granulated sugar again for extra sparkle. Bake for about 12 minutes until the tops are cracked and the cookies are slightly puffy. Once removed from the oven, flatten each cookie lightly with a spatula. Serve warm or cold.
For Great Results
Follow our expert advice to make unforgettable ginger cookies:
Bake for 12 minutes for a chewier cookie. For a crispier cookie, bake for 14 minutes.
Refrigerate the dough overnight and up to 72 hours for extra-chewy cookies.
Re-sugar the baked cookies by dipping each side in a shallow bowl of granulated sugar while still warm for even more sparkle.
Keep in an airtight container on the counter for three days or freeze in a resealable plastic bag for up to a month.
Other Flavors and Additions
For a different flavor profile, here are some of our favorite variations:
Add cayenne pepper instead of white pepper for a different kind of heat.
Add 3/4 cup chocolate chips or chunks for a delicious ginger chocolate cookie.
Add 3/4 cup macadamia nuts, almonds, or cashews for a nutty flavor and extra texture. If needed, use sunflower seeds for a cookie that's free of tree nuts.
Use turbinado sugar, rather than granulated, for even more sparkle and crunch.
Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, rather than just granulated, for an even spicier finish.
Scoop the cookies with a 1/4-cup ice cream scoop, rather than one sized at 1-1/2 tablespoons, and make jumbo ginger molasses cookies.
CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
This delicious-ness is from the Food Network. Active Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes; Yield: 36 cookies; Level: Easy
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/chocolate-chocolate-chip-cookies-recipe-1957918.
Ingredients
2-1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 sticks butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 cups chocolate chips, 2 Hershey's chocolate bars, chopped or M&M'S
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a bowl stir together flour, salt, and baking soda. In another large bowl stir together butter, both sugars, eggs, vanilla and cocoa. Gradually stir flour mixture into butter mixture and mix until combined. Stir chocolate chips and walnuts, if using, and stir to distribute evenly.
For cookies: Drop dough by tablespoonfuls onto greased baking sheets and bake about 10 minutes. Cool on a baking rack.
For bars: Pat dough into a greased 9 inch square baking pan and bake 20 to 25 minutes. Cut into squares when cooled.
PERFECT BLACK AND WHITE COOKIES
This is from Melissa Clark at The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Melissa wrote, “Tender, moist and scented with vanilla, almond and lemon, these classic confections popular all over the Midwest and the state of New York are more cake than cookie, with a fine crumb and velvet texture from the sour cream in the batter. Even better, they are glazed with both vanilla and chocolate, so you don’t have to pick favorites. These are best eaten within 24 hours of baking, when the cake is at its softest and the glaze at its snappiest. But if you store them in an airtight container at room temperature, they’ll be good for a few days longer.”
Yield: 12 to 14 cookies; Time: 1 hour, plus cooling
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020254-perfect-black-and-white-cookies.
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup sour cream or whole-milk yogurt
1/3 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), at room temperature
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoonsgranulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
For the Glaze:
2-1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
Boiling water, as needed
1-1/2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of fine sea salt
2-1/2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
2-1/2 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
Preparation
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Arrange racks in top and bottom thirds, and line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, sea salt and baking soda. In a medium bowl, whisk together sour cream, milk, vanilla, lemon zest and almond extract.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
Reduce speed to low and beat in 1/3 of the flour mixture, then 1/3 of the sour cream mixture. Repeat until both mixtures are incorporated, scraping sides of bowl as necessary. (Mixture will be the consistency of thick poundcake batter.)
Dollop heaping 1/4-cup scoops of batter onto prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. (You should have 12 to 14 cookies.) Bake for 6 minutes. Rotate the baking sheets. Continue to bake until the cookies have firmed up and spring back when lightly pressed in the center, 6 to 9 minutes. (They’ll brown only on the bottoms.) Take care not to overbake, or they will dry out.
Transfer baking sheets to wire racks and let cool for 15 minutes, then transfer cookies directly to racks to cool completely.
While the cookies cool, make the glaze: Place the confectioners’ sugar in a medium bowl and whisk in 3 tablespoons boiling water, the corn syrup, vanilla and salt. Continue to whisk, adding more boiling water as needed, until you have a thick yet spreadable frosting that is the texture of hot fudge sauce. (Too thick is preferable to too thin.) Flip each cookie over and spoon glaze over half of its flat side, spreading to edges with the back of the spoon. Place on wire rack to set. You will have vanilla frosting left over.
Whisk melted chocolate into vanilla frosting, then whisk in cocoa and enough room temperature water to make a thick yet spreadable glaze. Glaze the bare half of each cookie. Let glaze set for at least 1 to 2 hours before serving.
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