Spiced Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

I was perusing the ol' interweb looking for "just the right" recipe for cookies this afternoon.  Hmpf.  Didn't find at all what I was wanting.  SO.. what else to do than come up with my own, yeah?  I just might add that they turned out DELISH!


Spiced Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
3/4 cp turbinado sugar
1 cp dark brown sugar
1 cp softened butter
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cp all purpose flour
1/2 cp whole wheat flour
2/3 cp flax meal
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp china cinnamon
1 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp ginger
3 cps rolled oats
2 cps raisins


1. Blend sugars and butter until smooth. Mix in eggs and vanilla.
2. In separate bowl, combine flours, flax, soda and all spices.
3. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet.  Stir until combined.
4. Add oats and raisins.  Mix well.
5. Bake (in about 1 1/2 Tbsp balls) on greased cookie sheets at 375 for about 8-10 min.  Shorter for softer cookie, longer for crispier.
6. Allow to sit about 5 min on cookie sheet before transferring to rack or parchment paper.  Makes about 2 1/2 dozen.

On a side note.. these are GREAT October cookies. Not necessarily May cookies :)  However, I'll still have one today with a little Earl Gray.

Cookies, Cookies & More Cookies

What could be better than baking on a warm, sunny Saturday morning?  Baking with a friend on a warm, sunny Saturday morning.

My dear friend, Heather arrived at 9:30am at my gate, holding a big red bowl of cookie cutters.  Together, we conquered dozens of Sugar Cookies and Mint Chocolate Crinkles.

First the laborious task of Sugar Cookies- Mixing the dough, running to Albertson's when you realize you left your baking powder and almond extract in Utah, chilling the dough, understanding and using the role of parchment paper correctly and effectively, adding the proper amount of flour to avoid stickiness, and also avoiding overworked dough, etc., etc.  Needless to say, a big task.  But, one that is aided with Egg Nog, also from mid morning run to Albertson's, and laughs from a friend.

 

Sugar Cookies

2 cups white sugar

1 1/2 cups shortening

3 eggs

1 tsp almond extract

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 small carton sour cream (8oz)

5 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 salt

1. Blend sugar and shortening until there are no lumps.  Stir in eggs individually.  Add extracts.  Gently fold in sour cream. 

2. Combine dry ingredients. 

3. Add dry ingredients to wet, mix thoroughly.

4. Refrigerate 2-3 hours, or place in freezer 30-45 minutes.

5. Work only 2 cups of dough at a time to keep stiff and workable.  Keep remaining dough in fridge.  Generously coat with flour while rolling out dough, also roll dough between parchment paper to minimize sticking.

5. Bake 6-8 min. at 350 degrees on ungreased cookie sheets.  Remove from oven before edges are light brown.

6. Allow complete cooling before frosting.  Can be frozen until desired frosting date.

 Now onto Mint Chocolate Crinkles.  Relatively easy compared to the multi steps of Sugar Cookie-ing.

Mint Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 cups white sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs 

1 tsp mint extract

2 tsp vanilla extracts.

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

powdered sugar

1. Stir together cocoa, sugar & oil. Add eggs one at a time. Stir in extracts.

2. In separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt.

3. Add dry mix to wet and mix thoroughly.

4. Refrigerate dough 2-4 hours or place in freezer 45 minutes.  

5. Roll dough into 1 in balls, coat thoroughly in powdered sugar and place several inches apart on baking sheet.  (My cookies weren't spreading as nicely as I wanted, so smashed balls with a spoon before placing in oven.)

6. Bake 10-12min at 350 degrees.  Let cookies set a few minutes on pan before removing to cool.

The First of My Fall Baking Adventures

I just met a great girl, Jenny B, about a month ago.  She is from Dallas and just has the great, Southern way about her.  She made some melt in your mouth cookies last week and was gracious to pass on the recipe.  Wow.  Just imagine mini, fluffy pumpkin pies...  Mmm.

Jenny B Cookies

ingredients:
- 2 1/2 c flour
- 1 t baking powder
- 1 t baking soda
- 1/2 t salt
- 2 t ground cinnamon
- 1/2 t ground nutmeg
- 1/2 t ground cloves
- 1/2 butter, softened
- 1 1/2 c granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 6-8 T heavy cream
- 1 t vanilla extract

directions:

1. preheat oven to 350 F.
2. combine: flour, powder, soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, & salt. mix with spoon, then sift.
3. (separate bowl) cream: butter & sugar. add & mix (to butter/sugar): egg, vanilla, 2 T heavy cream.
4. in 2-3 batches, add flour mixture to butter mixture. you will alternate flour (mix), 2-3 T heavy cream. do this until it is completely mixed. *try not to over beat, as this will result in flatter, more crispy cookies. :)
5. bake for 8-10 minutes (maybe a little longer). take them out before they start to brown too much on the edges.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

ingredients:
- 8 oz. cold cream cheese
- 1 stick unsalted butter, firm but not cold (if you are in a rush, you can stick it in the microwave for a few seconds, but be careful it doesn't start to melt)
- 1/8 t salt
- 1/2 t vanilla
- 3 3/4 c confectioners sugar

directions:
1. beat cream cheese, butter, & salt.
2. slowly mix in confectioners sugar.
3. add vanilla.

**be sure cookies are completely cool before adding.