Stained Glass Gingerbread Cookies

INGREDIENTS:

3-1/4 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
1 t. ground ginger
1/2 t. all spice
1/2 t. cinnamon
3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup molasses
2 t. water
9 cinnamon hard candies, crushed in food processor

DIRECTIONS:

Combine all dry ingredients; set aside.
Mix together butter and sugar until creamy.
Gradually add molasses and water alternately with flour mixture.
Divide into 6 equal portions wrapping in plastic wrap.
Refrigerate overnight.

Roll out dough to 1/4" thickness on a floured surface.
Cut out using an cookie cutter about 3"- 4". I like to use apple-shaped.
Place on foil-lined cookie sheet or use Silpat baking pads for ease in removing the cookies.
With a smaller cookie cutter about 2" - 3" cut out the center of each cut-out and place on a regular cookie sheet - no need to line the center cookies.

Fill the center of the apples with crushed cinnamon candies being careful not to spill outside the outer edge.

Bake in a pre-heated 375 oven for 5-6 minutes until candies melt in center.

Allow cookies to cool before removing to wax paper.

Makes 3 - 4 dozen.

Posted by Debi

Photo Credit: kitchensimplicity.com

It's So Good You Could Eat It For Breakfast, Cookie. (and it's gluten-free!)

Preheat oven to 325.

Ingredients:

3 ripe bananas
1/4 c. peanut butter
1/4 c. oil
1 t. GF vanilla
1 T. raw honey
3 T. brown sugar
2 T. ground flax seed mixed in 6 T. water OR 2 eggs
_____________________________________________In a mixer, combine all is mixed well.

In a separate bowl combine

1 1/2 c. GF rolled oats
1 c. coconut flakes
1/2 t. salt
1 1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. all-spice
1/4 c. almond flour or other GF flour
1/2 c. almonds, chopped
1 c. dried fruit, I used apricots, chopped
1/2 c. pumpkin seeds, chopped
1/4 t. baking soda

Stir to combine and then add to the wet mixture.  Mix until it is all incorporated.  Drop by the Tablespoon full onto a cookie sheet. I sprinkled pink and blue sprinkles on top just for fun :)  Bake for 20 minutes.  Remove and cool on a wire rack.  Store in refrigerator.

These cookies are healthy enough to eat for breakfast, but still sweet enough you feel like you are getting a treat! So bake some up and serve cookies for breakfast!  Your kids will thank you.

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

Original NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Chocolate Chip Cookies

Estimated Times:
Preparation - 15 min | Cooking - 9 min | Cooling Time - 15 min cooling | Yields - 60

This famous classic American cookie is a treat no matter what the age or occasion. Enjoy it with a glass of cold milk.

Source:

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
• 1 cup chopped nuts

Directions:

PREHEAT oven to 375° F.

COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

BAKE for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

PAN COOKIE VARIATION: Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan. Prepare dough as above. Spread into prepared pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack. Makes 4 dozen bars.

SLICE AND BAKE COOKIE VARIATION:
PREPARE dough as above. Divide in half; wrap in waxed paper. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm. Shape each half into 15-inch log; wrap in wax paper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.* Preheat oven to 375° F. Cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices; place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

* May be stored in refrigerator for up to 1 week or in freezer for up to 8 weeks.

FOR HIGH ALTITUDE BAKING (5,200 feet): Increase flour to 2 1/2 cups. Add 2 teaspoons water with flour and reduce both granulated sugar and brown sugar to 2/3 cup each. Bake drop cookies for 8 to 10 minutes and pan cookie for 17 to 19 minutes.

Posted by: Tracy

Cut-Out Cookies in a Flower Pot

Rated: Submitted By: Laura Servings: 72

"I received this recipe at a Cake and Candy store when I signed up for a class. We made fall leaves and put them in a clay pot - they looked great! For best flavor results use pure Mexican vanilla the creme de la creme of vanillas. You will need about 6 dozen dowels, cut to approximately 6 inches (with some longer and some shorter) for cookie sticks."

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups butter, softened 3 cups white sugar 4 eggs 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon butter flavored extract 7 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Cream margarine and sugar. Add eggs and flavorings and mix well. Stir flour, baking powder and salt together. Add to batter and mix well.
2.	CHILL 3-4 hours or overnight before using.
3.	Roll cookies out approximately 1/4 inch thick and insert cookie sticks at least 1/3 to 1/2 way into cookie.
4.	Bake cookies at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 8-10 minutes. This dough keeps well in a covered container in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks.
5.	Decorate as desired. Display 3-7 cookies in a 6 inch clay pot (depending on size of cookie). Weigh pot down with dried beans and cut a circle of Styrofoam to fit snugly into top. Add ribbons and enjoy.

Nutrition Information Servings Per Recipe: 72 Calories: 126

Amount Per Serving Total Fat: 5.5g Cholesterol: 25mg Sodium: 86mg

Amount Per Serving Total Carbs: 17.7g Dietary Fiber: 0.3g Protein: 1.7g

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2010 Allrecipes.com

Printed from Allrecipes.com 2/12/2010

Royal Icing

Rated: Submitted By: Carol Servings: 12

"This icing is usually put on the wedding cake after the Almond Paste is applied."

INGREDIENTS:

2 egg whites 4 cups confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Beat egg whites lightly and add enough sugar to make icing that will hold shape. Blend in lemon juice to get desired consistency. Spread over Almond Paste on cake and let harden. Decorate.

Nutrition Information Servings Per Recipe: 12 Calories: 159

Amount Per Serving Total Fat: 0g Cholesterol: 0mg Sodium: 10mg

Amount Per Serving Total Carbs: 40.1g Dietary Fiber: 0g Protein: 0.6g

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2010 Allrecipes.com

Printed from Allrecipes.com 2/12/2010

Chewy Chocolate Cookies - "Death by chocolate"

Makes 16 of the most amazing cookies you will ever have!! The directions seem a bit tedious but trust me it is worth every single minute of prep time!!

1/3 c. granulated sugar, plus ½ cup for coating
1 ½ c. all-purpose flour
¾ c. cocoa powder
½ t. baking soda
¼ t. plus 1/8 t. salt
½ c. dark corn syrup
1 large egg white
1 t. vanilla extract
12 T. (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened (70 degrees)
1/3 c. packed dark brown sugar
4 ounces dark chocolate chunks, chopped ½-inch pieces

1. Adjust oven racks to upper and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together in medium bowl. Whisk corn syrup, egg white, and vanilla together in small bowl.
3. In mixer with paddle attachment beat butter, brown sugar, and 1/3 c. granulated sugar at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low, add corn syrup mixture, and beat until fully incorporated, about 20 seconds, scraping bowl once with rubber spatula. With mixer running at low speed, add flour mixture and chopped chocolate; mix until just incorporated, about 30 seconds, scraping bowl. Give dough final stir with rubber spatula to ensure that no pickets of flour remain at bottom. Chill dough 30 minutes to firm slightly (do no chill longer than 30 minutes!)
4. Roll dough into 16 even portioned balls, about 1 ½ inch in diameter. Drop dough balls into baking dish with sugar and toss to coat. Set dough balls on prepared baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart; repeat with second batch. Bake, reversing position of the baking sheets halfway through baking (from top to bottom and front to back), until cookies are puffed and cracked and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft (cookies will look raw between cracks and seem underdone). Bake 10-11 minutes, do not overbake.
4. Cool cookies on baking sheet 5 minutes, then use wide metal spatula to transfer cookies to wire rack; cool cookies.

Recipe by: Cooks Illustrated