Melted butter, no chill sugar cookies

I wanted to bake a treat for my non peanut butter, non chocolate loving work friends.  And I needed to make them quickly after running errands, so I opted for sugar cookies using melted butter.  The dough does not need chilling.  The cookies come out nice and soft and thick.

I used a combo of all purpose flour and bread flour.  You can entirely use all purpose flour.  Scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount.  Also preheat your oven before baking.

  • Ingredients list
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 3/4 cup plus 2 tbs flour
  • 1/4 cup bread flour
  • 1/2 tbs cornstarch
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with nonstick baking liners.  In a bowl, mix melted butter and sugar.  Blend in yolk and vanilla.  Stir in dry ingredients.  Scoop out 1/4 cups of dough.  Roll into balls and slightly flatten.  Stagger on prepared cookie sheet.  Sprinkle tops with extra sugar.  Bake 11 to 14 minutes, no longer.  (Bottoms will be light golden).  Cool completely.  Frost with a simple vanilla frosting, if desired.

  • Frosting ingredients
  • 2 tbs butter, melted
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • Heavy cream or milk

In a bowl, combine butter, powdered sugar and vanilla.  Add enough milk or cream to get the consistency you want.  Frost cookies.  Store in covered container.

Peanut butter bars with Reese’s eggs, ground peanuts and peanut butter frosting

Calling all peanut butter lovers!  This is for you.  Peanut butter bars with finely ground peanuts, cut up Reese’s eggs smushed on top and frosted with peanut butter frosting.

Remember to scoop your flour from your flour bag into your measuring cup so you get the right amount (same goes for the powdered sugar.  Remember to preheat your oven before baking.

  • Ingredients
  • 1 cup oeanut butter
  • 1/2 cup butter crisco, crisco or butter
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup peanuts, finely ground in a food processor (opt)
  • Reese’s eggs, chopped up (opt)

Directions – preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 9×13 cake pan with tin foil and spray with baking spray.  Set aside.  In a bowl, cream butter crisco, sugar, brown sugar and peanut butter.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Blend in dry ingredients.  Mix in peanuts.  Evenly spread into prepared cake pan.  Gently press pieces of chopped up Reese’s eggs on top like so.

Bake for 25 minutes,  no longer.  Let cool completely.

  • Frosting ingredients
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 2 tbs milk (or more)
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 3 cups powdered sugar

Combine butter and peanut butter in a small sauce pan.  Over low-medium heat, bring to a boil.  Remove from heat.  Add milk, vanilla and powdered sugar.  You may need to add more milk or powdered sugar to get the consistency you want.  Frost cooled bars.  Store in covered container.