Mini chip snowball cookies

These cookies are a huge hit. Messy, because of the powdered sugar, but a hit nonetheless. They are similar to a Mexican wedding cake/Italian wedding cookie/Russian tea cakes. I do not use walnuts, but do use mini chocolate chips. Regular size chocolate chips would not work. They would be too big.

Remember to scoop your powdered sugar, as well as your flour, from your bag into your measuring cup so you get the correct amount. Also, preheat your oven to 375 degrees for 20 minutes before baking. I baked mine for 10 to 12 minutes, no longer. You don’t want them to overbake and dry out.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 1/2 cups butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup powdered sugar (scooped from your powdered sugar bag into your measuring cup)
  • 1 tbs vanilla
  • 3 cups flour (scooped from your flour bag into your measuring cup)
  • 1 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions- preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. In a bowl, cream butter and powdered sugar. Add vanilla. Fold in flour, one cup at a time. Mix in chips. Scoop out 1 1/3 tbs dough (I used a cookie scoop). Stagger on prepared sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Sprinkle warm cookies with powdered sugar. Cool completely. Sprinkle with more powdered sugar. Store in covered container.

Gingerbread men

Gingerbread man

In the spirit of the season, I present another holiday cookie – gingerbread men. They can also be reindeer. You just flip the cookie upside down. The reindeer nose is the gingerbread man’s head and the antlers are his feet! You could even add a little cinnamon hot candy on the reindeer’s nose to make him a Rudolph!

Rudolph, but without his shiny red nose

I made these into sandwich cookies, so the filling recipe is at the end. You don’t have to do that, of course.

I did chill the dough overnight and took it about an hour before I was ready to bake. Mine always wind up large, probably because I don’t roll out the dough as thin as I should.

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount. I also recommend preheating the oven for 20 minutes before baking so it cycles to the right temp.

  • Ingredients cookies
  • 6 tbs butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup molasses
  • 1 egg
  • 3 tbs water
  • 3 1/4 cups flour
  • 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tps salt
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ginger
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves

Directions – cream butter and brown sugar. Add egg and water. Blend in dry ingredients. Mixture will be crumbly so you may have to mix it for a while for it to come together. You may even need to add another tbs or 2 of water. Cover and chill.

Take dough out of fridge about an hour before baking cookies so the dough is easier to work with. In a floured surface, roll out the dough with a rolling pin to the thickness you want and cut with cookie cutters. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and stagger cookies. Sprinkle with sugar.

Bake 8 to 9 minutes. Cool completely.

  • Filling
  • 1/4 cup butter melted
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • Milk

Directions – in a bowl, blend butter and powdered sugar. Stir in vanilla. Add enough milk to get the consistency you want and spread between two cookies. Store in covered container.

Thanks for stopping by today. I wish you peace, joy and love.

Smores cookies bars

Amidst all the holiday baking with cutout sugar cookies, snickerdoodles and gingerbread men, I went a little outside the box and decided to make smores cookie bars. They are quite simple and are topped with marshmallow buttercream frosting and melted milk chocolate chips. We are going to our friends’ house tonight for a Christmas party and these are what we are bringing.

Remember to preheat your oven to 375 degrees for 20 minutes before baking so your oven cycles to the right temp. Also, spoon your flour bag from your flour container

  • Bars ingredients list
  • 1 cup crisco (original or butter flavor)
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 3 cups flour (scooped your flour bag into your measuring up so you get the right amount)
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 cups finely crushed graham crackers

Preheat oven to 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Line a 9×13 pan with tin foil and spray with baking spray. In a bowl, cream crisco, brown sugar and sugar. Mix in eggs and vanilla. Blend in dry ingredients and crushed graham cracker. Spread evenly into prepared pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes (edges just turn golden). Cool completely.

  • Frosting ingredients
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup marshmallow fluff
  • 2 1/2 cups to 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 to 3 tbs heavy cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Cream butter and fluff. Mix in powdered sugar slowly. Add cream and vanilla. Blend to desired consistency. Frost cooled bars. Top with melted chocolate. Store in covered container.

Thank you so much for stopping by today! I wish you a day filled with peace and love.

Nutter butter peanut butter cookies topped with melted hershey kisses

Part 2 of my treats for the annual day of giving are nutter butter peanut butter cookies. They are peanut butter cookies with crushed nutter butters added. I have done something similar with oreos.

  • Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup butter flavor crisco (or softened butter)
  • 1/4 cup peanut butter
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 3 tbs brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/3 cup plus 2 tbs oil
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tbs water
  • 1 1/4 cups flour
  • 3 tbs cornstarch
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
  • 24 nutter butters, finely crushed in a food processor

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees for 20 minutes before baking. In a bowl, cream butter crisco, peanut butter, sugar, brown sugar, and powdered sugar. Blend in oil, water, and egg. Fold in dry ingredients and crushed nutter butters. Scoop out 2 to 3 tbs of dough and form domes. On a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, stagger cookies. Bake 8 to 9 minutes (no longer). Cool completely. Top with melted chocolate. Store in covered container.

Thank you for stopping by today. If you are able to help in the v foundation’s fundraising efforts to fight cancer, visit v.org

Chocolate cheesecake with an oreo crust

I asked Rob what he wanted for Thanksgiving dinner this year, and he said lasagna. He despises turkey and the rest of the Thanksgiving fixings, so the last few Thanksgivings I have worked and we have had lasagna for our dinner on 🦃day. And when it came to dessert, Rob requested chocolate cheesecake. I think I do pretty well, even though I am new to making cheesecakes. (Cheesecake factory has nothing to worry about though) 😉

I pre-baked the oreo crust for 10 minutes because that is what I see people recommending online for cheesecake crusts. Something about keeping the crust from getting soggy.

Here is a peek at the oreo crust
  • Crust ingredients
  • 24 oreos, finely crushed
  • 1/4 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line the inside of a 10 inch springform pan with tin foil on the bottom and halfway up the sides. In a bowl, combine crumbs and butter. Press into bottom of prepared pan. Bake 10 minutes. While crust is in the oven, prepare cheesecake.

  • Cheesecake ingredients
  • 24 ounces cream cheese, softened (I used neufchatel, which is softer, less calories, and lower fat)
  • 14 ounce can condensed milk
  • 12 ounce semisweet chocolate chips, melted
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla

In a bowl, beat cream cheese smooth. Add condensed milk. Blend in melted chocolate. Beat in one egg at a time. Stir in vanilla. Pour over crust. Bake 70 minutes at 300 degrees. Remove from oven. Cool completely. Store covered in fridge.

Thanks so much for stopping by today! Wishing you peace and happiness. And please, remember to be kind.

Week 11 victory cookies

A classic cookie is what I opted to bake for my week 11 Bills victory cookies – chocolate chip.  This has not been a season for as many victory cookies as past years, but I take wins when we get ’em.  So I baked cookies at 830 tonight.  Yikes!

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount,  chill your individual cookie dough a few hours before baking.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees for 20 minutes before baking so oven cycles to the right temp before baking.

  • Ingredients
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tbs vegetable oil
  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tep salt
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

Directions – cream butter, sugar, and brown sugar. Add eggs, vanilla and vegetable oil. Blend in dry ingredients. Mix in chips. Scoop out 2 tbs dough. Chill a few hours. Preheat oven to 375 degrees before baking. Line a cookie sheet with nonstick baking liners. Stagger cookies on prepared sheets. Bake 9 to 11 minutes. Cookies will be a little undercooked on top, but bottoms will be browned. Cool completely. Chill in fridge to help cookies firm up. Store in covered container.

Thanks for stopping by today! I wish you a day of joy, peace and love. Remember to be kind. Go Bills!

Brownie cookies sandwiches filled with cookie dough

My favorite of all the sports postseason, is the nhl.  The level of excitement in the arenas and adrenaline from the crowds, plus the stress of overtime,  when if your team is not playing, can not be beat. l love football, but  playoff hockey is another animal.

What better way to celebrate than with cookies that look like pucks!  So I made these and filled them with cookie dough filling.  You could also do peanut butter or vanilla or chocolate.

A reminder to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount. No need to chill this dough. It doesn’t spread too badly. Also, preheat your oven to 350 degrees for 20 minutes so it cycles to the right temp.

  • Brownie cookies ingredients
  • 6 tbs butter
  • 2 1/2 cups chocolate chips (I used a combo of dark and semisweet)
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 6 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. In a microwave safe bowl, melt butter and chips in 40 second increments until you can stir smooth. Blend in sugar. Add vanilla and eggs. Fold in flour, baking powder and salt. Mixture will be thick. Scoop out 2 tbs dough. Stagger on prepared cookie sheets.

Bake 9 to 11 minutes. Cool completely.

  • Filling ingredients
  • 11 tbs butter,melted
  • 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 3 to 4 tbs heavy cream

Directions – blend butter, powdered sugar and flour. Add vanilla. Mix in enough heavy cream to get the consistency you want. Spoon between 2 cookies. Store in covered container.

Thanks so much for stopping by today! I wish you a day of peace, love and joy!

You know what would make things better right now?

Does a cookie solve all problems?

That was the question my husband asked me after I got home from work and after the Bills lost by 5 in London and both lineback Matt Milano and defensive lineman Da’Quan Jones left with injuries. And they could both be out a while. Rob’s answer to all this was “chocolate chip cookies.” As soon as he said cookies, Gracie ran in and sat at my feet, like the good pup she is, as if to say “yes, mama, cookies make everything better. I do not agree, but I did make cookies. And yes,chocolate chip ones. Honestly, I am still mad about the loss, but someone will enjoy these damn cookies.

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount. Freeze the dough for an hour or chill for a few hours to prevent spreading. And preheat your oven to 375 degrees for 20 minutes before baking so the oven cycles to the right temp.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 cup butter flavor crisco
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup bread flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tbs cornstarch
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup chocolate chips
  • 1 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions – in a bowl, cream butter flavor crisco, brown sugar and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Fold in dry ingredients. Mix in chips. Scoop out 1/4 cups of dough and form tall cylinders. Chill a few hours. Preheat oven to 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and stagger cookies. Bake 14 to 16 minutes. Edges will be golden. Middle may be soft,but remove from oven. Cool completley. Chill in fridge to help cookies firm up. Store in covered container.

Thanks for stopping by today! I wish you a day of peace, joy and happiness.

Cookies to celebrate a Bills win and National Homemade Cookies Day

I was alerted on Twitter that today is National homemade cookies day.. which is certainly a day to be celebrated… it was also a Bills victory day, something to be even more celebrated. Nothing to fancy, just browned butter chocolate chip cookies. You know what else, Bills win Christine is so much better than Bills lose Christine. (Just ask my hubby)

These candles below were given to me by my dear college friend, Patty. The Bills are 3-0 when I light them on game day. Just saying 😉

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount. Also, chill the cookies for a few hours or flash chill them (I stuck em in the freezer for an hour to speed up the process). Preheat your oven to 350 degrees for 20 minutes

  • Ingredients list
  • 1 cup butter, browned
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed into measuring cup
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tbs cornstarch
  • 3 1/4 cups flour
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips
  • 1 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions – in a pan, heat butter over low-medium heat, stirring occasionally until there are little brown specs in the bottom (it might take 10 minutes or so). Cool 10 minutes. Pour in a bowl, add sugar and brown sugar. Mix in eggs and vanilla. Blend in dry ingredients. Fold in chips. Scoop out 2 tbs dough. Chill a few hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees for 20 minutes before baking. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Stagger cookies. Bake 12 to 13 minutes. They will be a little gushy on top. They will firm up as they cool. Cool completely. Store in covered container.

Perfectly puffy triple chip cookies

I know most people don’t love cooler weather, but honestly, I am ok with it because the puffy cookies are back! (Also my hair is less of a battle to straighten). Today, I present puffy triple chip cookies, featuring semisweet, milk chocolate and white chocolate chips.

I used butter flavor crisco in this recipe, as well as cornstarch.

A reminder to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount. Chill the mounds of dough for at least an hour to prevent spreading. And preheat your oven for 20 minutes, so it cycles to the right temp.

  • 1 cup butter flavor crisco
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 3.4 oz instant pudding mix
  • 2 1/4 cups flour (scooped from your flour container into your measuring cup)
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tbs cornstarch
  • 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

Directions – in a bowl, using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, cream butter crisco, brown sugar and sugar. Add eggs. Mix in vanilla and pudding mix. Blend in flour, baking powder, baking soda and cornstarch. Blend in chips. Scoop out 1/4 cups of dough and form into mounds. Chill at least an hour in the fridge. Preheat oven to 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and stagger cookies. Bake at 350 degrees for 11 to 13 minutes. The bottoms will be lightly browned. The tops will be a little gushy, but will firm up as they cool and set overnight.

Store in covered container.

Thanks for stopping by today! Go Bills!