John's Ginger Cookies

From Mary Etchison

1 c. butter (room temperature)
2 c. brown sugar (lightly packed)
1/2 c. molasses
2 eggs
4-1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
4 tsp. ginger
4 dashes ground cloves

Cream butter, add sugar, molasses, then egg. Add all of the dry ingredients, mix well then chill.

Press each ball of dough with the bottom of a sugar-coated glass and bake at 350 degrees until they look just underdone. They will be soft and delicious.

Lemon Bars

Heat oven to 350.

2 c flour
1 c butter
1 1/2 c powdered sugar
Mix together until crumbly.  Pat mixture into a 9x13 pan.
Bake for 20 minutes.

Mix the following ingredients and pour it over the cooled baked crust.
4 eggs, beaten
2 c sugar
4 Tbl flour
1 tsp baking powder
6 Tbl lemon juice

Bake for 30 minutes more. Cool.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Makes 24 bars.

Snickerdoodles

1 cup soft shortening
1 1/2 c sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 3/4 c flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 Tbl sugar
3 tsp cinnamon

Mix shortening, 1 1/2 c sugar and eggs.  Sift flour, cream of tartar, soda, and salt.  Add to first mixture.  Chill

Mix 3 Tbl sugar and cinnamon.  Roll dough into balls the size of a small walnut.  Roll in sugar/cinnamon mixture.  Place about 2 inches apart on untreated cookie sheet.
Bake at 400 for 9-10 min.  Cookies should be lightly browned, but still soft.

Makes about 5 dozen.

Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 egg, beaten
Mix well.  Roll into balls the size of walnuts.
Bake at 325 for about 10 minutes.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Oatmeal Cookies with Raisins

Another great recipe from Joyce Hancock, Mankato, MN

Preheat oven to 350.

In a large mixing bowl combine:
1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
Beat until light and fluffy.

Add and beat in:
2 beaten eggs
1 tsp vanilla

In a small bowl mix and add in:
1 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp soda

Stir in:
3 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup walnuts, opt.

Add 1 cup ground raisins ( grind raisins in food processor with a small amount of sugar) and stir in.

At this point, drop by tsp on a prepared cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 10 minutes.

OR

Shape in long rolls, wrap and chill thoroughly.
Slice 1/4"thick
Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.

Almond Blueberry Cookies

From Dr. Oz website

Gluten-free and dairy-free

2 large eggs, beat til fluffy
1  1/2 almond flour
1/3 c.Truvia Baking Blend
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
Mix all together

Fold in 1/2 cup fresh blueberries  and 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Drop by teaspoon on a parchment lined baking sheet.

375.  Bake until lightly browned
Cool 10 min on parchment

Peppermint Meringues

makes about 60

3 large egg whites, room temp
1/8/ t. salt
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp. peppermint extract
12 drops red food coloring

Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
Line baking sheet with parchment.

Using electric mixer, beat egg whites and salt on medium high speed until white and foamy, about 1 minute.  With mixer running, gradually add sugar in 3 additions, beating for 2 minutes between each addition.  Beat until firm peaks form, about 2 minutes longer.  Add powdered sugar and peppermint extract and food coloring.  Beat to blend, about 1 minute.

Spoon meringue into pastry bag fitted with a 1/2"tip.
Pipe meringue onto a prepared baking sheet int 1"cookies.
Bake until dry, about 2 1/2 hrs.  Cool until crisp and dry.
Can store 2 days airtight at rooom temp between sheets of parchment.

Sophie's PopTarts (Raspberry Linzer Bars)

Sophia Evans gets credit for these because she loves to make them and eat them.
They taste like the best PopTarts ever.  Raspberry jam is a favorite, but any flavor would work.

1 1/4 cups flour
1/4 cup almond flour
1/3 cup plus 1 Tbl sugar
1/2 tsp 1 1/4 sticks (1/2 cup plus 2 Tbl) butter
2 large eggs
1/3 cup raspberry jam
Raw sugar

Whisk first 4 ingredients together.  Add cold butter and rub in with your fingers until course crumbs form.  Beat 1 egg in small bow; add to flour mixture.  Stir until dough forms.  Divide in half.

Working with one half at a time, roll out dough between 2 sheets parchment to 12"x10"rectangles.
Transfer to baking sheet and chill for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 375.

Remove top paper from first dough rectangle, invert onto a baking sheet.  Remove remaining paper.
Spread jam in an even layer over dough.
Remove paper from second dough sheet and invert, placing on top of dough covered with jam.
Remove remaining paper.  Press lightly from center of dough out toward edges to release any air pockets.  Press edges to seal.  Trim edges a bit to even them out if you desire.
Brush top with remaining beaten egg.  Prick dough several times with a fork.  Sprinkle with raw sugar.
Bake until crust is light golden, about 25 minutes.  Let cool completely on a wire rack. Trim edges.  Cut into bars.

Rolled Sugar Cookies

From Shirley Evans
Makes 4 dozen 2-inch cookies

1 stick (1/2 c.) butter, room temperature
1/4 c. shortening
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2-1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder

In one bowl cream butter, shortening, sugar, eggs and vanilla together. In a separate bowl mix flour, salt and baking powder. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients until well blended. Scrape down bowl and turn dough out onto plastic wrap to form loaf approximately 4" x 12" x 1".
Chill dough for several hours until firm ... overnight, time permitting.
Roll dough on flour surface no less than 1/4" thick. Cut out shapes. Re-form dough from scraps and continue to roll and cut until all dough is gone.
Bake at 375 degrees for 6-7 minutes, or until lightly browned at edges.

Buttercream Frosting
1 stick (1/2 c.) butter, room temperature
1 lb. powdered sugar
1/4 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix all ingredients slowly at first, then increase speed until creamy. Add coloring and flavoring as desired.

World's Best Sugar Cookies

From Leona Stillwell
Posted by Shirley Evans

1 c. sugar
1 c. powdered sugar
1 c. cooking oil
1 c. butter
2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs, beaten
4 c. plus 4 Tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. soda

Cream together sugar, powdered sugar, cooking oil, butter and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add eggs and mix well.

In another bowl, mix flour, salt, cream of tartar and soda. Add dry ingredients to creamed mix and mix well. Chill dough a little. Roll into small balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Press down with glass dipped in sugar.

Bake at 375 degrees for 7 to 10 minutes until delicately browned edges.

Cookie Salad

From Shirley Evans

2 small pkg. instant vanilla pudding
2 c. buttermilk
1 can drained fruit cocktail
1 can drained crushed pineapple
1 can drained mandarin oranges
16 oz. Cool Whip
1 pkg. Keebler Striped Cookies, crumbled

Mix buttermilk with vanilla pudding mix until thick. Stir in fruit and Cool Whip. This portion can be made in advance.
Stir in cookies just before serving.

Sandbakkels

From Shirley Evans
Makes about 60

1 1/2 c. butter, softened (no substitutions)
1 c. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 egg
4 c. AP flour

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar and salt. Beat till combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Add the egg, beat till well-combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour till dough no longer sticks to fingers when handled. If necessary, cover and chill about 1 hour or till dough is easy to handle.

Evenly press about 2 teaspoons of dough into the center of each seasoned sandbakkel mold. Press dough into an even, very thin layer along the bottom and up the sides. (You can also press dough into 1 3/4-inch tart tins or muffin cups.) Make sure no dough extends over edges of the molds. Place the filled sandbakkel molds on a large cookie sheet.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 9 to 11 minutes or till edges are firm and very lightly browned. Remove from oven. Turn over each mold, cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes. Gently tap on the bottom of the molds and carefully remove the sandbakkels. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool.

Krumkake

From Marvyl Hanson
Posted by Shirley Evans

1 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
3 eggs
1/2 c. half & half

Whisk all ingredients together. Place 1 tsp. of batter on hot krumkake iron and bake until light brown. Roll quickly into a cone shape.

Frosted Chocolate Drop Cookies

From Florence Vogel, Austin, MN
Posted by Shirley Evans

1/2 c. shortening
2 (1 oz.) squares unsweetened chocolate
1 c. brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. buttermilk
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. walnuts
6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Melt shortening and unsweetened chocolate together. Cool 10 minutes. Add brown sugar, eggs, vanilla and buttermilk. Sift dry ingredients and add to chocolate mixture. Stir in nuts and chocolate chips. Drop on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. Cool and frost (recipe below). Top with walnut half.

Frosting
1/4 c. hot water
2 Tbsp. melted butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 (1 oz.) squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
2 c. powdered sugar

Beat all ingredients until fluffy.

Vanilla Shortbread

From Shirley Evans
Makes 40 2-inch cookies

1/2 c. (4 oz.) almond paste
4 large egg yolks
2 c. (1 lb.) butter
1 3/4 c. sugar
1 to 2 tsp. liquid or paste food color (optional)
3 1/2 c. AP flour
1 recipe Fondant Icing (below)

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the almond paste on medium speed for about 5 minutes. The almond paste will look slightly grainy and oily. With the mixer off, add 1 egg yolk. Mix on medium speed for 1 minute, then scrape down the bowl and beater. Add another yolk, increase the speed to medium-high, and mix another minute. Repeat, adding the remaining 2 yolks, one at a time, beating well and scraping down the bowl before adding the next yolk. Increase the speed to high and continue to mix and scrape down the bowl and beater until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.

In a separate bowl, using the flat beater, cream the butter on medium speed for 1 minute. Add the sugar and beat on medium-high for 2 to 3 minutes, scraping the bowl and beater once.

Add the almond paste mixture to the butter mixture and beat on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes, or until well blended, scraping the bowl twice. With the mixer running on low speed, add the food coloring 1 tsp. at a time until the desired color is achieved. (Remember that the color will become slightly lighter when the flour is added.)

With the mixer off, add the flour. Slowly turn the mixer on and off on low speed to incorporate the flour without spilling. Once all the flour is incorporated, mix on slow speed just until blended, about 1 minute. Scrape the bowl and beater, then mix for another 10 seconds. Do not overmix.

Turn the dough out onto plastic wrap. Pat the dough into a disc about 1/2 inch thick and seal well in the plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight. (The dough will keep, well wrapped, in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.)

The next day, remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for about 45 minutes. The dough should still be slightly cool, not warm or soft. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 3/8 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut out cookies and place about 1 inch apart on an unbuttered, unlined baking sheet. Bake on the center rack in the oven for 10 minutes, or until cookies start to brown slightly around the edges and the bottoms are golden. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool. When completely cool, dip cookies in the icing. To dip cookies, hold each one face down and press icing until it comes one-quarter of the way up the sides. Scrape off the extra icing on the side of the bowl as you life the cookies out of the icing. Turn cookies icing side up and holding your other index finger at a 45-degrees to the cookie, scrape off any excess icing that remains. (Holding your finger at an angle allows you to scrape off the icing just in from the outisde) giving the icing room to spread as it sets. Let the cookies rest until the icing is set, about an hour. Store undipped cookies in an airtight container for 3 days. Store dipped cookies in a single layer in an airtight container. Do not stack dipped cookies.

Fondant Icing
Makes 3 cups

1 1/2 c. light corn syrup
5 c. sifted powdered sugar
1 large egg white, at room temperature
1 Tbsp. butter, melted
1/3 c. warm water
food coloring

Place the corn syrup in the top of a double boiler. Using a wooden spoon stir in the powdered sugar to make a thick paste. (There may be a little undissolved powdered sugar on the side of the bowl.) Over barely simmering water, stir the mixture frequently until it is smooth and just lukewarm.

Turn off the heat. Beat in the egg white, then the melted butter, and then the water. The icing should be the consistency of unwhipped cream. If it is thicker than that, thin with warm water. Use immediately or cover with plastic wrap and store overnight at room temperature. Thin with more warm water as needed before using. When icing cookies, stir the icing frequently to prevent a crust from forming.

Royal Icing with Meringue Powder

From Shirley Evans
Makes 3 cups

1 lb. (4-1/4 cups) powdered sugar, sifted
3 Tbsp. meringue powder
6 Tbsp. warm water

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix (with a hald-held or stand mixer) on low speed until blended. Increase the speed to medium and beat until the icing holds thick, soft peaks, 4 to 6 minutes. Test the icing for outline consistency by piping a small amount through a decorative tip. If it tends to curl back or is difficult to pipe out, add a few drops of water. If the piped icing seems runny, add powdered sugar, a tablespoon at a time, beating on low speed to blend. Don't overbeat or the icing will stiffen and lose its gloss. Divide the icing among clean containers, one for each color to be used. Tint as you like with food coloring gel pastes (liquid colors can thin the icing too much). Add each color by dipping a toothpick into the paste and transferring small amounts to the icing; stir with a spoon until no streaks remain. Keep the containers sealed when not working with them. Discard any icing that isn't used the same day it was made.

Ritzy Dips

From Diane Evans

1 pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 pkg. milk chocolate chips
1 pkg. almond bark coating
1 box Ritz crackers
peanut butter

Melt and mix the chocolates and almond bark. Spread peanut butter on a Ritz cracker and top with another cracker to make a sandwich. When all crackers are ready, dip them in the chocolate mixture. Let dry on wax paper.

Whoopie Pie Cookies

From Andie Evans



Ingredients:

Cookies

· 1 egg

· 1/3 cup vegetable oil

· 1 cup sugar

· 2 cups flour

· ½ cup cocoa powder

· 1 tsp. baking soda

· ¼ tsp. salt

· ¾ cup buttermilk

· 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract



Filling

· ½ cup butter (1 stick) at room temperature

· 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted

· 1 cup marshmallow cream or fluff

· 1 tsp pure vanilla extract



Procedure:

Preheat oven to 350. Grease two large cookie sheets and set aside. In a large bowl, beat the egg and vegetable oil. Gradually add the sugar and continue beating until pale yellow in color. In another bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. In a measuring cup, combine the buttermilk and vanilla. While mixing, alternate adding the dry ingredients and buttermilk to the egg and sugar, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Drop the batter by tablespoons onto the cookie sheets. These will spread a lot, so make 6 cookies per sheet at a time. Bake 8-10 minutes, until the top springs back when lightly touched. Remove to wire racks to cool. When cool, spread filling between two cookies to make sandwiches.



For the filling, in a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients and beat until light and fluffy.



Prep time: 30 minutes

Baking time: 8-10 minutes per batch

Yield: 12

Lemon Ricotta Cookies

From Andie Evans

Makes 44 cookies

Cookies:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 lemon, zested

• Glaze:
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 lemon, zested

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Cookies:

In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In the large bowl combine the butter and the sugar. Using an electric mixer beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until incorporated. Add the ricotta cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Beat to combine. Stir in the dry ingredients.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Spoon the dough (about 2 tablespoons for each cookie) onto the baking sheets. Bake for 15 minutes, until slightly golden at the edges. Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 20 minutes.

Glaze:

Combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small bowl and stir until smooth. Make sure to stir the glaze each time before applying. Dip the top of the cookie in the glaze, let the excess drip off and then flip and rest on cooling rack. Let the glaze harden for about 2 hours.

Walnut Meltaways

From Andie Evans
Makes 4 dozen cookies

1 c. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 c. sugar
2 c. AP flour
1/2 c. ground walnuts
1 c. chopped walnuts
1/2 c. powdered sugar, plus more for serving

Using an electric mixer, beat the butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the sugar and beat until well blended. Beat in the flour and then the ground and chopped walnuts. Divide the dough in half, forming each half into a ball. Wrap separately in plastic and chill until cold, about 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Working with half of the chilled dough at a time while keeping the rest in the fridge, roll the dough by 2 teaspoonfuls between your palms into balls. Arrange the balls on a large baking sheet, spacing them 1/2-inch apart.

Bake the cookies until golden brown on the bottom and just pale golden on top, about 18 minutes. Cool the cookies for 5 minutes on the baking sheet. Toss the warm cookies in the powdered sugar. Transfer the sugar coated cookies to a rack to cool completely. (The cookies can be prepared 2 days ahead. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.) Sift additional powdered sugar over the cookies, if desired, before serving.

To make Joe-safe, use dairy-free butter.