Fresh Orange Cookies

I got this recipe years ago at a Relief Society Cookie Exchange. I love the fresh flavors.

1 1/2 C sugar
1C butter
2 eggs
4 C flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 C orange juice
3 T orange zest
1 C sour cream

Preheat oven to 375. Beat sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add sour cream, eggs, juice and zest. Blend well. Stir in flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix well. Drop by rounded spoonfuls on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 11 minutes, until edges are light brown. Remove immediately. Frost when warm. Makes about 4 dozen.


FROSTING

1/3 C butter
3 C powdered sugar
1 T orange zest
4 -5 T orange juice


Mix until smooth and light

Grandma's Oatmeal Cookies

Old-fashioned oatmeal cookies are made with shortening, brown sugar, buttermilk, and spices.

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk or regular milk
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, stir before measuring
1 teaspoon baking soda (decrease to 1/2 teaspoon if you use regular milk)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 cups quick cooking rolled oats
3/4 to 1 cup raisins

PREPARATION:
In a mixing bowl, cream together the shortening and brown sugar until light. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the buttermilk.
Into another bowl sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices.

Stir the sifted mixture into the creamed mixture until blended. Stir in oats and raisins. With a tablespoon, drop onto greased baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake in a preheated 400° oven for about 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Makes 4 to 5 dozen oatmeal cookies.

Molasses Spice Cookies with Orange Glaze

These cookies are so yummy, warm and spicy with just a hint of a bite and the orange pairs lovely with the ginger. The cookies above are not glazed yet.

Courtesy of Cook's Illustrated

Makes about 22 cookies
Bake the cookies one sheet at a time so they develop the nice cracks as seen above. Remove the cookies from the oven when they still look slightly raw and under baked. They will puff and then crack as they approach doneness.

1/3 cup sugar, plus 1/2 cup for dipping
2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp finely ground black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
12 TBS softened butter
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup molasses

Glaze
Zest of 1 orange, tangerine, etc.
2 TBS juice
3/4-1 cup powdered sugar

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat to 375 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Place 1/2 cup sugar in bowl for dipping.

2. Whisk together flour, spices and salt in medium bowl and set aside.

3. In a standing mixer with paddle attachment, beat butter with brown sugar and remaining 1/3 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Add yolk and vanilla. Reduce to low and add molasses. Scrape bottom and sides of bowl and add flour mixture and beat until just incorporated. Give dough final stir by hand. Dough will be soft.

4. Using tablespoon measure, scoop heaping tablespoon of dough and roll between your hands, drop into sugar bowl and turn to coat. Place on baking sheet 2 inches apart.

5. Bake, one sheet at a time, reversing position of sheet halfway through baking to ensure even cooking. Bake until cookies have browned, still puffy and edges have begun to set, (will look raw between cracks and seem underdone, about 11 minutes depending on how big the dough balls are.

6. Cool on sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to wire cooling rack. Mix together glaze ingredients in small bowl, using soup spoon drizzle glaze over cookies, let dry 10-15 minutes. Store in airtight container.

Homemade Oreo Cookies

Submitted by Holly S.

Ingredients:
2 boxes double fudge cake mix(dry)
2 Tbs. Flour
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups shortening

Filling:
8 oz. Cream cheese
3/4 cup margarine
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla

Directions:
Combine cake mix and flour. Stir in eggs and shortening. Batter will be stiff. Roll dough into balls about the size of a quarter. Place on ungreased cookie sheet 2" apart. Bake at 350 degrees for nine minutes. Remove from cookie sheet and cool one hour before frosting. Spread one-quarter inch of filling on one side and top with other cookie.

Wendy's Healthy Cookies

I like these cookies straight from the freezer. They remain chewy even when frozen and it's a great cool treat. If you can't find Bob's Muesli, usually found at Sprouts or a similar health food store or even online, then substitute oatmeal.

1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup raisins
3/4 cup dried apricots, chopped
1/4 cup chopped nuts
3/4 cup chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups Bob's muesli or oatmeal
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 TBS ground flax seed
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup no sugar added applesauce

Combine all fruit and dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Use fingers to separate fruit sticking together. In small bowl combine wet ingredients and add to dry. Stir with spatula until combined. Batter should be moist. Form rounded spoonfuls onto prepared baking sheet, use parchment paper, Silpat or greased pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before moving to cooling rack. When cool place in freezer bag or airtight container and store in freezer. Makes approximately 3 dozen.

Paradise Wanna-be's Black & White Chippers

Recipe & Photo Courtesy of Picky Palate

1 3/4 cups flour
1 1/4 cups cocoa powder (I used Hershey's Dark Chocolate Cocoa Powder)
1 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsps. baking soda
1 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
1 bag white chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease cookie sheet if you don't have a silpat. (I used a cookie sheet with a silpat liner)

2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar and white sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well with each addiction. Add the salt and vanilla.

3. In another bowl, combine the flour, cocoa and baking soda and gradually add to the creamed mixture. Fold in chocolate chips. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheet. The dough will be very moist and fudgy, use 2 spoons to make it easier, and you wnat nice large balls, golf ball size.

4. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until fluffy but still soft and they look raw in the cracks. You MUST allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in airtight container and enjoy!