Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Cake Mix Cookies

Oh of all the easiest cookies to make ever! These are so good, yet so easy, you'll want to make them every day! Ok, but don't eat them every day, at least give them away so your not adding on all those extra pounds! Please, double this recipe! It just does not make very many in the first place. I don't show it doubled though.

Ingredients:
1 pkg. any flavor cake mix (lemon is my favorite!)
2 eggs
1/3 c. oil
1 tub any flavor frosting (once again, LEMON all the way for me!)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix all ingredients in a large mixing bowl to make a stiff dough.
Divide into 1 to 1 1/2 inch balls.
If you are not going to frost them, at this point you can roll the balls in white sugar.
Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake at 350 for 8-10 min..
Remove and cool on rack.
Frost.

Cut-out Butter Cookies


These are so good, maybe it's the orange juice in them, I don't know. These are fun to make at all the main holidays: Valentine's, Easter, Halloween, and Christmas. The kids love decorating them and munching down on them, of course. I like to double this recipe (not shown) since I have a heart of gold and I like to share with our little neighbors and whatnot.

Ingredients:
1 c. butter
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1t. baking powder
2 T. orange juice
1t. vanilla
21/2 c. flour

Mix 1st 6 ingredients w/electric mixer until fluffy.
Gradually stir in flour by hand until well mixed.
Chill 2-3 hours in fridge until firm enough to roll out w/rolling pin.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Roll out half of the dough at a time on a floured surface until 1/8" to 1/4" thick.
Cut with your cutters, and place cookies on ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake 6-10 min. until edges are light brown.
Remove and cool on rack.

Here are 2 kinds of frosting that you might enjoy (my favorite is the 1st, butter, being the most crucial ingredient):

Buttercream Icing:
3 c. powdered sugar
1/3 c. butter (melted)
1-2 t. vanilla
Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly with an electric mixer I pour a small amt. of milk in to help smooth our any lumps. So tasty. Oh, and add any food coloring at this point for some color in your life.

Sugar Glaze Icing:
2 c. powdered sugar
4 t. light corn syrup
4 t. milk
food coloring (optional)
Mix thoroughly and spread on cookies.

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies


I gotta say, I absolutely love a good peanut butter cookie and this one hits the spot! I thought for sure that the recipe had to be a mistake when I saw how easy they are, but it's totally true...they ARE super easy. I made them just this evening.They were oh so tasty!

Yield: 18 cookies (unless you keep reaching into that bowl of cookie dough like I did)

Ingredients:
1 c. white sugar
1 c. peanut butter
1 egg
18 Hershey's Kisses-unwrapped (or naked if you prefer) OR for Valentine's Day, use chocolate hearts...they are too cute!

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Combine ingredients except for Kisses
3. Shape into 1 inch balls (I used that handy small scoop from Pampered Chef) and place on ungreased cookie sheet. *Note: If dough is too sticky, refrigerate for 1/2 hour
4. Bake for 10 min. Remove from oven. Press a kiss into the center of cookie
Enjoy them with a glass of milk, of course!