Sugar Cookies-Our Best Bites

1 cup real butter (no substitutions)
1 cup sugar
1 egg (large or extra large)
1 1/2 teaspoons almod extract (you can use vanilla instead)
3 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

1) Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, Add in egg and the extract and mix to incorporate.
2) In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt and to whisk to combine. Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until completely combined.
3) To make the chilling and cutting process easier, roll the dough 1/4-inch thick between 2 sheets of parchment paper. Lay the sheet of dough flat on cookie sheet and refrigerate for 30 minutes, or place in freezer for 15 minutes.
4) Cut cookies into desired shapes. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 8-12 minutes, or just until set. For crisp cookies, bake for 10-13 minutes.
5) When desired doneness is reached, allow to cool on the pans for about 5 minutes and then transfer to the cooling racks and let the cookies cool completely.

Mrs. Field's Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 lb. butter
2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3 eggs
2 TBSP vanilla
6 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 cups chocolate chips
2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Pre-heat oven to 350. Combine all ingredients well and beat for 3-4 minutes. Taste the dough to make sure it's delicious...;) Grease cookie sheets. Drop dough by tablespoon onto cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven, and allow to cool for 2 minutes before transferring onto cooling rack.

**Can also substitute plain M&Ms in place of the chocolate chips.

Gingerbread Cookies

*From Our Best Bites first cookbook*

1/2 cup BUTTER (no substitutions)

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup molasses

1 egg yolk

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp cloves

1 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1) Combine all ingredients well in a stand mixer. Chill for at least 1 hour (it's fairly sticky dough, so you may need to let it chill a little longer).

2) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll dough to 1/4 inch thick and cut with cookie cutters. Place cookies two inches apart on an un-greased OR parchment lined baking sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes.

**NOTE**If you bake them on the short end the cookies will stay soft and chewy, and if you bake them on the longer end they will be crispy.

3) Allow to cool about 5 minutes on pan and then transfer to write rack and cook completely. Once they're cooled, decorate as desired (or don't decorate at all and eat them).

Raspberry and Almond Shortbread Thumbprints

Cookie:
1 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp almond extract
2 cups flour
1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam

Glaze:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
3/4 tsp almond extract
1-2 tablespoon milk

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2) Cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Mix in almond extract and flour until dough comes together. Roll into 1 1/2 inch balls and placed on ungreased cookie sheet.
3) Use thumb to create a  shallow hole in each ball. Fill with jam.
4) Bake for 14-18 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let cook on cookie sheet for 1 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.
5) Mix together glaze ingredients and mix until smooth. Drizzle lightly over warm cookies.

Glazed Maple Pecan Cookies--Our Best Bites

These cookies are SO incredible. Really. Don't plan on just eating one because you'll change your plan after the first bite of the first cookie.

Cookies:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1 egg yolk

1 tsp. maple flavoring

*1 cup finely chopped toasted pecans

Glaze:

1 TBSP melted butter

1 cup powdered sugar

1 TBSP maple syrup

2 TBSP milk

Additional chopped pecans for garnish, if desired

*To toast pecans: heat oven to 375 degrees. Lay parchment paper on cookie sheet, and spread 1 cup finely chopped pecans over the parchment. Bake for 5 minutes, stir around, then bake for 5 minutes more. Set aside.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

FOR THE COOKIES: Whisk together the flour and cornstarch and set aside. Cream softened butter and sugars at medium speed until creamy. Add the egg yolk and maple flavoring, beating until well mixed (be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl). Reduce speed on low and gradually add the flour cornstarch mixture and toasted pecans. 

Measure dough out by scant tablespoon (medium sized cookie scoop is perfect, or split a large cookie scoop in half) and shape into balls. Place dough balls on the prepared baking sheets and press down lightly with fingers or with the flat bottom of a drinking glass until cookies are about 1/2 inch tall. Bake for 9-12 minutes or until the cookies puff and are very lightly brown.

FOR THE GLAZE:

Combine melted butter, powdered sugar, and maple syrup in medium-sized mixing bowl. Gradually add milk until mixture becomes smooth. When the cookies have cooled, dip the tops of the cookies in the glaze and allow to drip down the sides. Garnish with pecan halves or chopped pecans, if desired.

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies--allrecipes.com

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 40 miniature chocolate covered peanut butter cups, unwrapped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Sift together the flour, salt and baking soda; set aside.
2. Cream together the butter, sugar, peanut butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg, vanilla and milk. Add the flour mixture; mix well. Shape into 40 balls and place each into an ungreased mini muffin pan.
3. Bake at 375 degrees for about 8 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately press a mini peanut butter cup into each ball. Cool and carefully remove from pan.

Best Toffee EVER-allrecipes.com

Ingredients

• 2 cups butter
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup finely chopped almonds

Directions

1. In a large heavy bottomed saucepan, combine the butter, sugar and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring until the butter is melted. Allow to come to a boil, and cook until the mixture becomes a dark amber color, and the temperature has reached 285 degrees F (137 degrees C). Stir occasionally.
2. While the toffee is cooking, cover a large baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
3. As soon as the toffee reaches the proper temperature, pour it out onto the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle the chocolate over the top, and let it set for a minute or two to soften. Spread the chocolate into a thin even layer once it is melted. Sprinkle the nuts over the chocolate, and press in slightly. Putting a plastic bag over your hand will minimize the mess.
4. Place the toffee in the refrigerator to chill until set. Break into pieces, and store in an airtight container.

Mostaccioli (Italian Christmas Cookie)--Delish.com

Cookies:

• 2 cup(s) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup(s) unsweetened cocoa
• 1 1/2 teaspoon(s) baking powder
• 1 teaspoon(s) ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon(s) ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon(s) salt
• 3/4 cup(s) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup(s) (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup(s) whole milk

Chocolate Glaze:

• 3 tablespoon(s) unsweetened cocoa
• 1 1/4 cup(s) confectioners' sugar
• Christmas colored sprinkles
• 
  
• Directions
• 1. Prepare Cookies: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. In large bowl, with mixer at low speed, beat granulated sugar with butter until blended, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula. Increase speed to high; beat until light and creamy. At low speed, beat in egg. Alternately beat in flour mixture and milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, just until combined, occasionally scraping bowl.
  2. With cocoa-dusted hands, shape dough by level tablespoons into 1-inch balls. Place balls, 2 inches apart, on ungreased large cookie sheet. Bake cookies 7 to 9 minutes or until puffed (they will look dry and slightly cracked). Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool. Repeat with remaining dough.
  3. Chocolate Glaze: When cookies cool, in medium bowl, with wire whisk or fork, gradually mix cocoa with 1/4 cup boiling water until smooth. Gradually stir in confectioners' sugar and blend well. Dip top of each cookie into glaze. Place cookies on wire rack set over waxed paper to catch any drips. Immediately sprinkle cookies with decors. Allow glaze to set, about 20 minutes. Store cookies, with waxed paper between layers, in tightly covered container at room temperature up to 3 days, or in freezer up to 3 months.
     Serving size = 1 cookie

Molasses Cookies

**These cookies are SOOOO good! I always get rave reviews when I make them**

3/4 cup butter-flavored shortening (NO SUBSTITUTIONS!!)

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup molasses

2 cups flour

1 egg

2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp cloves

1/2 tsp ginger

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

-Beat shortening, sugar, and egg together really well. Add remaining items, one at a time. Drop

by teaspoonful on UNgreased baking sheet. Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes, until soft and brown.

**I use my large cookie scoop for bigger cookies, and they have to bake for about 11 1/2 mins.

Orange Frosted Cranberry Cookies--bettycrocker.com

Cookies

1	cup granulated sugar
1/2	cup packed brown sugar
1	cup butter or margarine, softened
1	teaspoon grated orange peel
2	tablespoons orange juice
1	egg
2 1/2	cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1/2	teaspoon baking soda
1/2	teaspoon salt
2	cups dried cranberries

Glaze

1 1/2	cups powdered sugar
1/2	teaspoon grated orange peel
3	to 4 tablespoons orange juice (depending on how thick you want your glaze) -Heat oven to 375°F. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray. -In large bowl, beat granulated sugar, brown sugar, butter, 1 teaspoon orange peel, 2 tablespoons orange juice and the egg with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt. Stir in cranberries. -Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto cookie sheet. -Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until edges and bottoms of cookies are light golden brown. -Remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. -In small bowl, stir all frosting ingredients until smooth and spreadable. Frost cookies.

Snickerdoodles

1 cup butter

1 1/2 cup white sugar

2 eggs

3 cups flour

2 tsp. cream of tartar

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

-Mix all ingredients in order.

-Roll into balls the size of golf balls, then roll each ball in cinnamon and sugar (2TBSP of each, mixed well)

-Bake on un-greased pan at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Let the cookies cool for 1 minute on cookie sheet, then move to a cooling rack.