Caramel (or Peppermint) Thumbprint Cookies

66 HERSHEY'S KISSES Brand Milk Chocolates filled with Caramel 1 family size (13x9-in. pan) original supreme brownie mix with HERSHEY'S Syrup Pouch 1/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa 2 eggs 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 tablespoon water 1 cup ground pecans (optional) 2 teaspoons milk

Instructions:

1. Remove wrappers from chocolates. Lightly grease cookie sheets.

2. Beat brownie mix, pouch of syrup, cocoa, eggs, oil and water in medium bowl until well blended. Cover; refrigerate about 1 hour or until thoroughly chilled (dough will still be sticky).

3. Heat oven to 350°F. Shape dough into 48 1-inch balls. (Return dough to refrigerator if necessary or drop by rounded teaspoons onto wax paper-lined trays and refrigerate about 10 minutes.) Roll balls in pecans, if desired. Place on prepared cookie sheet; press thumb gently in center of each cookie. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until set. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.

4. Place 18 caramel filled chocolates and milk in small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at MEDIUM (50%) 30 seconds; stir. If necessary, microwave at MEDIUM an additional 10 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating, until chocolates are melted and smooth when stirred. Spoon slightly rounded 1/4 teaspoon caramel filling in each indentation. Lightly press chocolate in center of each cookie. 48 cookies.

I wanted to use the seasonal white chocolate peppermint/candy cane kisses. So, I modified the recipe by using those instead of the caramel, and leaving off the crushed nuts. I do have to warn you that the batter is extremely sticky! However, the cookies are really good and the chocolate/peppermint combo is tasty!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Peanut Butter Cookies
Adapted from the Magnolia Bakery Cookbook

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup peanut butter at room temperature (smooth is what we used, but I am pretty sure they use chunky at the bakery)
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon (for sprinkling) sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup peanut butter chips
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

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

In a large bowl, beat the butter and the peanut butter together until fluffy. Add the sugars and beat until smooth. Add the egg and mix well. Add the milk and the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and beat thoroughly. Stir in the peanut butter chips. Place sprinkling sugar on a plate. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls into the sugar, then onto ungreased cookie sheets, leaving several inches between for expansion. Using a fork, lightly indent with a crissscross pattern (I used the back of a palette knife to keep it smooth on top), but do not overly flatten cookies. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Do not overbake. Cookies may appear to be underdone, but they are not.

Cool the cookies on the sheets for 1 minute, then remove to a rack to cool completely.

Powerball Cookies

Yummy little kid-friendly treats, from Wondertime.

Yummy-looking healthy cookies

From 101Cookbooks.com...

Chocolate Chip Brownie Cookies

I ran out of time to make these from "scratch," and found this recipe on the web. Quite tasty! It makes 34-36 cookies.

1 (19.5 to 19.8 ounce) package brownie mix

1/3 cup vegetable oil or melted unsalted butter

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips or chunks

1 cup chopped nuts, any variety, sprinkled on top of cookies before baking (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray cookie sheets with nonstick cooking-spray.

In a large mixing bowl combine brownie mix, oil, and eggs with wooden spoon until just blended and all dry ingredients are moistened; stir in chocolate chips. Drop dough by heaping tablespoonfuls, 2 inches apart, onto prepared cookie sheets. Sprinkle with nuts, if desired.

Bake 11—14 minutes until cracked in appearance and just barely set at center when lightly touched. Cool 1 minute on sheets. Transfer to wire racks with spatula and cool completely.

Double Chip Oatmeal Cookies

3/4 c butter, softened
1/4 c shortening
3/4 c granulated sugar
3/4 c firmly packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 t vanilla extract
2 1/3 c all-purpose flour
1 t salt
1/4 t salt
1 2/3 c (an 11oz pkg) of peanut butter and milk chocolate chips
2 c (1pgk) semi-sweet chips
1/2 c uncooked regular oats
1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted (optional - sometimes I just do a whole cup of the oats)

Beat butter and shortening at medium speed until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until blended. Add eggs and 1 t vanilla, beating until blended.

Combine flour, soda and salt. Gradually add to butter mixture, beating well. Stir in chips, oats and nuts.

Drop by tablespoons onto lightly greased baking sheets. Bake at 350 for 10-15min or until golden around edges. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

3/4 c butter, softened
3/4 c granulated sugar
3/4 c firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 t vanilla extract
2 1/2 c plus 2 T all purpose flour
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 c peanut butter
1 12oz pkg semisweet chocolate chips

Beat butter, sugars, and peanut butter at medium speed until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla, beating until blended. Combine flour, soda and salt in a small bowl; gradually add to butter mixture, beating well. Stir in morsels. Drop by tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350 for 8-14min or until done. Remove to wire rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Chip Supreme Cookies

1/2 c shortening
1/2 c butter, softened
3/4 c firmly packed dark brown sugar (if you only had light brown, that would be ok but not as good)
3/4 c white sugar
1 large eggs
1 (3.4oz) pkg vanilla instant pudding mix
1 T vanilla extract
2 1/4 c all-purpose flour
1 T baking soda
1 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t ground nutmeg
1/2 t salt
2 c semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 c chopped pecans (optional)
1 c uncooked quick cooking oats

Beat shortening and butter at medium speed w/electric mixer until creamy; gradually add sugars, blending well. Add eggs, beating until blended. Add pudding mix and vanilla; beat until blended.

Combine flour and next 4 ingredients. Gradually add to butter mixture, beating until blended. Stir in chips, pecans and oats.

Shape dough into 1-1.5inch balls; place on lightly greased cookie sheet and press to 1-inch thickness.

Bake at 375 for 10-12min. Remove cookies to cool on wire racks.

Makes 3-5 dozen cookies.

Chocolate Crinkles

Ok, Analise and I are embarking on a month of Christmas cookies and candy. This was our first recipe, and it was AWESOME! Easy and incredibly delicious. These are like little brownie bites.

• 3/4 c. butter, melted
• 1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 c. sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 t vanilla extract
• 2 c. flour
• 1 t b aking powder
• 1 t baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 6 ounces (half a bag or 1 cup, I think) mini semisweet chocolate chips
• 3/4 c. confectioner's sugar

In a large bowl, mix together the melted butter, cocoa powder and sugar. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla extract. In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Use a large spoon to slowly add the dry ingredients to the chocolate mixture. Stir in the chips. Refrigerate the dough for 2 hours.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Form the dough into 1-inch balls, then roll them in confectioners' sugar. Bake the cookies on an ungreased baking sheet for 10 minutes. Set the baking sheet on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then lightly dust the cookies with the remaining confectioners' sugar. Transfer the cookies directly onto the rack to cool thoroughly. Makes about 4 dozen.

From Family Fun magazine here