Peanut Butter Reindeer Cookies

Adorable, right? Ok, maybe these reindeer are slightly special....but they taste great, so who cares?


Peanut Butter Reindeer Cookies
via Budding Baketress

3/4 cup peanut butter

1 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup shortening

3 tablespoons milk

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 egg

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

Chocolate-covered mini pretzels

Mini brown M&Ms

Regular-sized red M&Ms

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Combine brown sugar, peanut butter, shortening, milk, and vanilla in large bowl. Beat at medium speed until well blended. Add egg; beat until just blended.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to creamed mixture at low speed. Mix just until blended.

Form dough into 1-inch balls. To make reindeer-shaped cookies, pinch the bottom of the ball slightly to form a point, then gently flatten with your hand. Space cookies about 2 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 7 to 8 minutes, until set or just beginning to brown. 

Remove from oven and immediately (and gently) press two mini pretzels into the tops of the cookies for the reindeer's antlers. Press two mini brown M&Ms in for the eyes and one red M&M for the nose (or any other color... some of mine ended up with green noses. They might be South Pole reindeer.). 

Allow to cool 2 minutes on the baking sheet and then transfer to a wire rack or paper towel to cool completely. 

Makes about 40 reindeer cookies.

Double Lemon Delights

Double Lemon Delights

from "Favorite Brand Name Bake Sale" Cookbook

Ingredients



2 1/4 c flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 c butter, softened
3/4 c granulated sugar
1 egg
2 tbl grated lemon peel, divided
1 tsp vanilla
   Additional Sugar
1 c powdered sugar
4-5 tsp lemon juice

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in small bowl; set aside. Beat butter and granulated sugar in electric mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, 1 tbl lemon peel and vanilla until well blended. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speen until blended.

Drop dough by level 1/4 cupfuls (I did 2 tbl scoops) onto ungreased cookie sheets, spacing 3 inches apart. Flatten dough until 3 inches in diameter with bottom of glass that has been dipped in additional sugar.

Bake 12-14 minuted or until cookies are set and edges are golden brown. Cool on cookie sheets 2 minutes; transfer to wire racks. Cool completely.

Combine powdered sugar, lemon juice and remaining 1 tbl lemon peel in small bowl; drizzle mixture over cookies. Let stand until icing is set.


So these were totally and completely delicious! I know that there is a lemon overload on this blog right now, but these are totally worth it! Yummy, yummy!

~Cassy

chocolatey peanut butter cookies

Soft & Chewy Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

What You Need

4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

1/2 cup  peanut butter

2 eggs

1 pkg.  (2-layer size) devil's food cake mix

Make It

HEAT oven to 375ºF.
BEAT cream cheese, peanut butter and eggs in large bowl with mixer on low speed 1 min. Add dry cake mix; beat on medium speed 1 min. or until mixture pulls away from side of bowl and forms soft dough. (See Tip.)
SHAPE into 44 (1-inch) balls. Place, 2 inches apart, on baking sheets. Flatten each ball, in criss-cross pattern, with tines of fork dipped in sugar.
BAKE 7 to 8 min. or just until edges of cookies are set. (Do not overbake.) Cool on baking sheet 2 min. Remove to wire rack; cool completely. 

Homemade Peppermint Oreos

 

Here is that recipe I promised! I made these scrumptious and easy cookies the other night for our ladies craft night. They are delish, especially with the peppermint flavor added. Make sure you have people to help you eat them! They're decadent .:)

Homemade Peppermint Oreos

from I Heart Naptime

Cookies:

2 boxes Devil's food cake mix

4 eggs

2/3 cup vegetable oil

Frosting:

1 (8ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

4 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon peppermint extract

sprinkles or crushed candy cane for decorating

green or red food coloring

 Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl combine the cake mix, eggs, and oil with a mixer. The batter will be very stiff. Pinch of pieces of batter and roll into 1 inch balls. Place 1 inch apart on prepared cookie sheets and flatten slightly with fingertips. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove immediately from the cookie sheets with a spatula and cool on a wire rack.
In a small glass bowl, combine the cream cheese and butter until completely blended. Gradually add in the powdered sugar and peppermint extract and mix until the icing is smooth. Color frosting green or red if desired. Spread half of the cookies with icing and top with remaining cookies.

Roll in sprinkles, crushed candy canes, or just leave them plain.

Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container or resealable plastic bags.

sugar cookies and royal icing

Sugar Cookies

 adapted from Annie's Eats

Ingredients:

 2 cups butter, softened
 2 cups powdered sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1 ½ t. almond extract
2 t. vanilla
1 ½ t. salt
5 c. sifted flour

Directions:
Cream butter. Add powdered sugar. Mix well. Blend in egg, almond extract, vanilla, salt and flour. Roll to ¼” thickness in between sheets of parchment paper (sprinkle flour on both sides of the dough and paper), then chill dough in fridge until firm. Cut with cookie cutters and place on greased cookie sheets. Repeat with remainder of dough once or twice, rolling in between parchment paper and chilling. Each time you roll it out they get tougher from adding flour while rolling.

Bake at 375° for 8-10 min.  Cookies should not brown. Frost and decorate when cool, I usually bake them a day before I decorate. Makes about 40 cookies, depending on the size of your cutter design.

Royal Icing
from Annie's Eats 
 
Ingredients:
4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 tbsp. meringue powder
5 tbsp. water
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Mix on low speed until the sheen has disappeared and the icing has a matte appearance (about 7-10 minutes).  Transfer the contents of the mixing bowl to an air-tight container.  This will be the stiffest consistency of the icing, and at this point it is still too stiff to use for decorating.  Add water a very small amount at a time and stir by hand until fully incorporated.  Continue until the icing has reached a consistency appropriate for piping.  (Remember, if you are having any difficulty piping, it is still too thick.  Add a little more liquid and try again.)  Using a pastry bag, pipe around the edges of each cookie.  Let stand so the icing will set.  Make sure to keep the leftover icing covered at all times when not in use so that it does not begin to harden.
Once all the cookies have been edged, transfer some of the remaining icing to a separate air-tight container.  Thin out by incorporating a small amount of water at a time, until the icing drips off the spoon easily when lifted and then smooths in with that still in the bowl.  If you go too far and the icing is too thin, add more sifted powdered sugar to thicken it again.  Once the icing has reached the desired consistency, transfer it to a squeeze bottle (or a plastic bag with a hole in one corner), and flood the area surrounded by the piping on each cookie.  If it does not completely spread to the edges, use a toothpick to help it along.  Allow to set.
Use the remaining thicker icing for piping decoration as desired.  Gel icing color is best as it does not add a significant amount of liquid.  Liquid food coloring can be used as well – add powdered sugar as needed to compensate for any thinning that occurs.

goodies

plates of goodies for friends and neighbors!

starting at the stars-going clockwise: sugar cookies, jam bars, fudge, peanut butter kiss cookies, and oreo bark. yum!

i'll not be baking for another year, thank you. just kidding.

recipes below:

sugar cookies and royal icing

jam bars

easy fudge

peanut butter kiss cookies

oreo bark

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

*** i loove these cookies. that's all there is to say. they're great to freeze too! i just use my scoop and then freeze the dough, throw it in a bag, and bake off a few whenever i want a fresh, hot cookie! (add about 3-5 minutes cooking time if you use them straight from the freezer)


Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
from The Joy of Cooking

• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 lb softened butter
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
  
• 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3 1/2 cups rolled whole oats

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Sift (sifting is important!) flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a mixing bowl.
3. Beat butter, brown sugar, sugar, eggs, and vanilla with a hand mixer at medium speed.
4. Put flour mixture into butter mixture and mix well.
5. Stir in chocolate chips and oats.
6. Spoon 1.5 inch balls onto non-stick cookie sheet. ( I use an ice cream scoop for even size cookies)
   
7. Bake at 350°F for 6-9 minutes, rotating half way through baking. (Should be lightly firm in the center when done)

magic in the middle cookies

Magic in the Middle Cookies from King Arthur Flour Blog via My Kitchen Cafe

Chocolate Dough
1 1/2 cups (6 3/8 ounces) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (1 1/2 ounces) unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar (plus extra for dredging)
1/2 cup (3 3/4 ) brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk

Peanut butter filling
3/4 cup peanut butter, crunchy or smooth, your choice
3/4 cup (3 ounces) confectioners' sugar

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets.
2. To make the dough: In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.
3. In another medium-sized mixing bowl, beat together the sugars, butter, and peanut butter until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and the egg, beating to combine, then stir in the dry ingredients, blending well.
5. To make the filling: In a small bowl, stir together the peanut butter and confectioners sugar until smooth.
6. With floured hands or a teaspoon scoop, roll the filling into 26 one-inch balls.
7. To shape the cookies: Scoop 1 tablespoon of the dough (a lump about the size of a walnut), make an indentation in the center with your finger and place one of the peanut butter balls into the indentation.
8. Bring the cookie dough up and over the filling, pressing the edges together cover the center; roll the cookie in the palms of your hand to smooth it out. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
10. Roll each rounded cookie in granulated sugar, and place on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between cookies.
11. Grease the bottom of a drinking glass, and use it to flatten each cookie to about 1/2-inch thick.
12. Bake the cookies for 7 to 9 minutes, or until they're set and you can smell chocolate. Remove them from the oven, and cool on a rack.


***these were a hit! everyone was surprised at the yummy peanut butter filling...my neighbor was a fan too. i took a few over to say thank you for lending me the powdered sugar. i was craving these again today, so that goes to show how addicting they are!