cookie recipes

Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cookies: One of the Easiest Recipes of All Time

June 12, 2017 By Joi Sigers

Before I had to give up gluten/wheat (health reasons), I baked cookies almost weekly. That’s what we Cookie Monsters do. Once I had to swear off all of the traditional cookie ingredients, I pretty much had to swear off making cookies weekly (gluten-free flour and other ingredients are much higher).

I did not, however, at any time swear off being a Cookie Monster – so I have certain favorite recipes I use again and again. The Peanut Butter Cookies recipe below is a favorite – of mine as well as everyone else that gets within reach of these delicious cookies.

While their flavor is the best thing about them, their few (cheap) ingredients and level of insane easiness to make run a close second and third.

You’re going to love these cookies for all of these reasons. You’ll want to keep this cookie recipe handy for Christmas, birthdays, game days, and any day that calls for a yummy peanut butter cookie.

Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cookies

Category: Christmas Baking, Cookies, Gluten Free, Quick and Easy Recipes

Easy Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients

1 Cup Creamy (Smooth) Peanut Butter
1 Cup Sugar
1 Egg
2-3 TBS Chopped Peanuts (optional)

Instructions

Combine the peanut butter, sugar, and egg - stirring well.
Stir in the chopped peanuts, if using.
Spoon cookie dough onto ungreased cookie sheet.
Dip a fork into extra sugar, then press a "crisscross" design on top of each cookie. This not only looks cook, it keeps the cookies flat.
Bake at 350 degrees for 6-8 minutes. Don't over-bake these cookies - it's actually better to take them out a little early than a little late.

Gluten Free Cranberry Pecan Cookies

November 23, 2016 By Joi Sigers

Gluten-Free White Chocolate and Pecan Cookies

Gluten Free White Chocolate Chip and Pecans CookiesBefore getting to the two gluten free cookie recipes, I just want to express my yuuuge gratitude to food companies who keep churning out exceptional gluten free products. Krusteaz, Udi’s, Glutino, Pamela’s CedarLane, Pillsbury, Betty Crocker, Amy’s… the list goes on and deliciously on. I am so very thankful for them – and I plan to keep letting them know – all over social media, through e-mail, here on the food blog… anywhere and everywhere I have an opportunity to sincerely thank them, I’m going to take it. I’d love to see everyone in the gluten free (for health reasons, especially) community do so. We don’t hesitate to point out when a company or restaurant drops the ball – we should be even faster with gratitude.

Seems fair, right?

Okay… off the soap box! One of the companies I am most thankful for is Krusteaz. Their products are first rate – as in perfect every single time – and they are SO affordable. Let’s face it, not all gluten free products can be called “reasonably priced” let alone “So affordable,” but Krusteaz (and Pillsbury, for that matter) are as fair as it gets.

I just made a couple of batches of cookies using Krusteaz Gluten Free All Purpose Flour. I tweaked their wonderful Choclate Chunk Cookies recipe (below). In place of the 1-1/2 chocolate chips or chunks, I made the following cookies with the following SIMPLE alterations. The first (with dried cranberries) was made for my youngest daughter who cannot eat chocolate (poor baby!). She loves cranberries like crazy, so I thought this would be ideal.

Cranberry Pecan Gluten Free Cookies – (pictured below) instead of the 1-1/2 chocolate chips or chunks, I added 3/4 dried cranberries and 3/4 coarsely-chopped pecans.
White Chocolate Chip Pecan Gluten Free Cookies – (pictured at the top) again, 3/4 cup white chocolate chips and 3/4 cup coarsely-chopped pecans (yes.. as a matter of fact, I am obsessed with pecans)

Below is Krusteaz’s Chocolate Chunk Cookies recipe (it’s perfection, by the way). It’s the easiest chocolate chip cookie recipe you’ll ever find – you don’t even need a mixer. Tweak as I did (above) or go with the orgiinal (below). Either way, you’re going to be blown away.

Krusteaz Gluten Free Chocolate Chunk Cookies

1 ¼ cups Krusteaz Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
¼ cup butter, softened
¾ cup sugar
¾ cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups chocolate chips or chunks
2 eggs
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Stir together flour with remaining dry ingredients. Add eggs, butter and vanilla and blend until dough forms, kneading by hand if necessary. Scoop rounded 2 tablespoon portions of dough and place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten slightly.

Bake 10-11 minutes or until light golden brown on the edges. Cool 5 minutes before removing from pan. – Recipe from Krusteaz

Gluten Free Cranberry and Pecans Cookies

Chocolate Chip Cookies with Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract

May 20, 2014 By Joi Sigers

Chocolate chip cookies are America’s favorite cookies to bake, share, and (especially!) eat. I’ve always loved making each batch a little different from the previous batch, just to keep things deliciously interesting.

Adding various nuts and/or peanut butter chips or white chocolate morsels is a easy way to experiment with different flavors. Another easy and flavorful to switch things up is to use different vanilla extracts. The sweet, creamy flavor of Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract adds a whole new dimension to chocolate chip cookies and it’ll blow you away.

Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

1-1/2 c. butter, softened
1-1/4 c. white sugar
1-1/4 c. brown sugar
1 T. Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract
2 eggs
4 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1-3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1-12 oz. pkg. semisweet chocolate chips. (2 c.)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix butter, sugars, vanilla and eggs in large bowl. Stir in flour, soda, salt, baking powder and cream of tartar. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop with a #40 scoop (looks like a metal mini ice cream scoop) or a rounded measuring tablespoonful about 2 inches apart onto an ungreased insulated baking sheet. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until light brown. Cool slightly: remove from baking sheet. Cool on wire rack. Makes about 4 dozen crackly, chewy-crispy bakery-style cookies. They are wonderful!

A few tips you might want to try to put your own spin on these wonderful cookies:

Switch the chips: Instead of using 2 cups of semisweet chocolate chips, try using white chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, or a combination of all three. Using coarsely chopped baking chocolate instead of chips will add a gourmet feel to the recipe.
Make it nutty: Try adding 1 cup of coarsely chopped nuts to the batter. Pecans or walnuts are a classic addition, while macadamia nuts or pistachios add a bit of a nontraditional flair.
Salt the tops: Baked goods aren’t just about the sugar; salt amplifies the flavors in even the sweetest recipes. Sprinkle the tops of your cookies with coarse sea salt just before baking to bring out the flavors of the brown sugar and chocolate in this recipe. Try using a smoked sea salt for an extra-special touch.
Build a sandwich: Pair this recipe with your favorite ice cream flavor for the perfect ice cream sandwich, or spread them with buttercream frosting for a cookie sandwich treat. Use a peanut butter frosting for that classic chocolate and peanut butter combination that everyone loves.

Recipe and Photo Credit: Nielsen-Massey Vanillas and Renee Hartzler.

Pecan Sandies: Perfect Little Cookies (They Are Sooo Not Just for Christmas!)

January 14, 2014 By Joi Sigers

Pecan Sandies

Have you ever bit into something you’ve made for a holiday and asked yourself (with a glorious mouth full of food), “Why don’t I make this more often?!” Happens to me all the time. Well, it USED to happen. Not long ago, I figured it all out: Life’s too short and food’s too lovely to chain favorite recipes to any given day.

Pecan Sandies are a delicious example. These quick, simple, inexpensive to make little delicacies are too perfect to only make Christmas appearances. You’ll find these beauties (which happen to be one of my favorite cookies) in our kitchen year round. I’ve tried quite a few different recipes for them, but the one below is the best of the best.

Pecan Sandies

1 cup butter or margarine
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons water
2 teaspoons vanilla
2-1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup powdered sugar

Beat the butter (or margarine) with a mixer until softened.
Add sugar and beat until fluffy.
Add water and vanilla; beat well.
Stir in flour and nuts.
Shape into 1 inch balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake in a 325 degree oven for about 20 minutes.
Pour powdered sugar into a plastic bag. When the cookies have cooled, gently shake a few at a time in the powdered sugar.

Yield: About 45 buttery, sweet, delicious little cookies that I could eat by the handful.

Delicious Last Minute Baked Gift Ideas

December 22, 2011 By Joi Sigers

Whenever I see a Country Living, I think of my mom. For as long as I can remember, she subscribe to Country Living magazine. As soon as it came in the mail, she’d put it on the end table beside the couch. I knew exactly where she’d be and what she’d be doing the entire evening. It was always an outstanding and beautiful magazine and it still is today.

It’s amazing how great magazines and books weave themselves into a family’s fabric, isn’t it?

Below are some absolutely amazing Country Living’s Sweet Homemade Gift Ideas (plus clever ways to package them).

Thanks SO MUCH to CountryLiving.com for sharing these with our food blog’s readers!

Sweet Homemade Gift Ideas (plus clever ways to package them)!

At the Brooklyn bakery One Girl Cookies, owner Dawn Casale rewrites history- updating old family recipes with fresh flavors- and draws upon the past to present the treats in vintage jars, tins, and more. Santa’s not the only one who loves sweets; these unique gifts will make anyone’s holiday deliciously delightful, especially for a cookie swap!

Step 1: Choose your cookie!

Chocolate Whoopie Pies with Peppermint Filling

Makes 24 whoopie pies. Working time 30 min. Total time 1hr. 15 min.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light-brown sugar
1/2 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
1⁄3 cup canola oil
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Peppermint Filling (recipe below)

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat together sugars, yogurt, oil, eggs, and vanilla on medium speed until mixed, about 3 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Reduce mixer speed to low; gradually add flour mixture and mix for 30 seconds. Cover and refrigerate batter until chilled, about 30 minutes.

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Transfer batter to a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip (about 1/2 inch wide). Pipe 2-inch circles onto parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing whoopies 1½ inches apart. (Keep batter refrigerated between batches.)

4. Bake until whoopies spring back when touched, about 9 minutes. Cool completely on pans.

5. To fill pies: Turn half the whoopies over so they’re bottom-side up. Using a pastry bag or butter knife, add a dollop (1-1/2 tablespoons) of Peppermint Filling onto each whoopee bottom. Top with remaining whoopies.

Peppermint Filling

Makes 2 cups. Working time 10 min. Total time 10 min.

4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
1⁄8 teaspoon salt
3 cups confectioners’ sugar, plus more if needed

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat together cream cheese and butter on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Reduce mixer speed to low; add peppermint extract and salt, and mix for 30 seconds. Gradually add confectioners’ sugar and mix for 1 minute. If filling is too soft to hold its shape, add more confectioners’ sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency. (Store in refrigerator, in an airtight container with plastic wrap pressed onto surface of filling, for up to 5 days.)

Nana Cookies

Makes 36 cookies. Working time 25 min. Total time 40 min.

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons solid vegetable shortening, at room temperature
1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg, plus 1 large egg yolk
1/4 cup whole milk

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cloves, and salt. Set aside.

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat together shortening, butter, and sugar on medium speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Add egg and egg yolk, and beat for 1 minute.

3. Reduce mixer speed to low; add a third of flour mixture and a third of milk, and mix for 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl. Repeat. Add remaining flour mixture and only enough milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, to yield a smooth dough, and mix. (It should not be too sticky.)

4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Transfer batter to a pastry bag fitted with a star tip (about 1/2 inch wide). Pipe 4-inch-long cookies onto parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. (Keep batter refrigerated between batches.)

5. Bake cookies until lightly golden around edges, about 15 minutes, rotating baking sheets halfway through. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Cream Cheese Shortbread with Toasted Walnuts

Makes 36 cookies. Working time 15 min. Total time 30 min.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
1-1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Add chopped walnuts and stir to combine. Set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat together butter, cream cheese, and sugar on medium speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Add vanilla and mix for 1 minute. Reduce mixer speed to low; gradually add flour mixture and mix for 20 seconds. Take bowl off mixer and finish mixing dough with a rubber spatula.

3. Roll about 1-1/2 tablespoons of dough into a ball. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and gently press to flatten top. Repeat with remaining dough, spacing 1 inch apart.

4. Bake cookies until light brown around edges, 14 to 16 minutes, rotating baking sheets halfway through. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Chocolate-Pistachio Biscotti

Makes 48 biscotti. Working time 25 min. Total time 1 hr. 35 min.

4 navel oranges
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup shelled pistachios, unsalted
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
Fleur de sel, if desired

1. Cut long, thin strips of zest (avoid white pith) from oranges. Place zest in a small saucepan, add enough water to cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Then drain off water. Repeat boiling and draining process 2 more times. Set aside.

2. In a medium saucepan, bring 1-1/2 cups water and 1 cup sugar to a boil. Add zest and simmer for 4 minutes. Set aside to cool.

3. Place chocolate chips in a food processor and pulse 3 or 4 times to break up. Add pistachios and pulse 2 or 3 times.

4. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat together butter and remaining sugar on medium speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs and beat on medium speed until incorporated, 2 to 3 minutes.

6. Reduce mixer speed to low; using a slotted spoon, add candied orange zest to buttersugar mixture and beat for 30 seconds. Gradually add three-fourths flour mixture, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add chocolate-pistachio mixture and remaining flour mixture, mixing until dough just comes together. Do not overmix.

7. Divide dough into 2 equal pieces and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Using damp hands, shape each piece into a 12-inch-long log, 1/2 inch high.

8. Bake logs until firm, about 24 minutes, rotating baking sheets halfway through. Reduce oven temperature to 250 degrees F. Cool logs on baking sheet for 12 to 15 minutes.

9. Transfer logs to a cutting board. Using a serrated knife, slice each into 24 half inch- thick biscotti. Place biscotti on parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing 1/2 inch apart. Sprinkle with fleur de sel, if desired. Bake biscotti until slightly crisp, about 10 minutes, rotating baking sheets halfway through. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Step 2: Wrap it up!

Cherry vintage tins add a personal touch to baked goods. Striped and polka-dot patterned tins, paired with contrasting ribbon or wrapping paper add a unique touch.
Take a bakery fresh approach with printed paper bags. This bright idea is reminiscent of childhood fun at the country fair.
Mini-Bundt, cupcake, and loaf pans double as “boxes” that recipients can put to good use. It’s the gift that keeps on giving!
Mason-jars are a sweet way to wrap up treats. Don’t have any on hand? Try an empty honey or jam jar. Short on time? Layer the dry ingredients into the jar, secure the lid then write the remaining directions on the tag. Don’t forget a bow!
For a professional finish, reinvent old holiday cards with stamps and scissors to create a personal tag without spending a dime!

Thanks again to CountryLiving.com for sharing these great ideas!

Heavenly Chocolate Chunk Cookies

December 1, 2011 By Joi Sigers

Okay, before we get to these delicious cookies (cookies that all walnut lovers will die for), let me tell you how much you need to zip over to Amazon right now and order a copy of the Gooseberry Patch Christmas Cookbook. Amazon has paperback copies available for less than $5.00 (new) and even less for used ones. But, seriously, for less than $5.00, I’d go with new.

This Christmas cookbook is filled with wonderful, festive, beautiful, and delicious recipes that’ll quickly become family favorites – at Christmas as well as throughout the year. I keep my copy on the hutch in my kitchen year round with my other frequently-used cookbooks. Trust me, this one’s filled with recipes you’ll use again and again. I am blown away that you can get a copy for less than I just paid for a Chai Tea Latte at Starbucks!

Some of the recipes you’ll find in this cookbook:

Eggnog Tea Bread
Cheddar Scones
Buttery Dinner Rolls
Amish Orange Rolls
Winter Salad
Christmas Eve Salad
Strawberry Holiday Trifle
Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake
Poinsettia Punch
White Bean Chili
Lasagna with Colorful Peppers
Chewy Chunky Chocolate-Walnut Cookies
Rich Seafood Casserole
Cornbread Dressing
Holiday Yams
Cranberry Applesauce
Double Chocolate Christmas Praline-Fudge Cake
Baked Sausage and Eggs
Mediterranean Coffee
Gingerbread Scones
Peppermint Candy Ice Cream Pie
Beef and Three Cheese Tetrazzini
Party Rosemary Pork
Layered Cheese Torta
Millionaires
Eggnog Cookies
Nutcracker Cookies
Spiced Pecans
Mocha Punch
Florentine Artichoke Dip
Yuletide Crab Puffs
Many, many, many more wonderful recipes!

Heavenly Chocolate Chunk Cookies Recipe

2 cups plus 2 Tbs. all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter or margarine
2 Tbs instant coffee granules
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
11-1/2 oz package semi-sweet double chocolate mega-chips or 12 oz package semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup walnut halves, toasted

Combine first three ingredients; stir well.

Combine butter and coffee granules in a small saucepan or skillet. Cook over medium low heat until butter melts and coffee granules dissolve, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature (don’t let butter resolidify).

Combine butter mixture, sugars, egg, and egg yolk in a large bowl. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended. Gradually add flour mixture, beating at low speed just until blended. Stir in mega-chips and walnuts.

Drop dough by heaping tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 325 degrees for 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool slightly on baking sheets. Remove to wire racks to cool completely. Makes 20 cookies.

Heavenly. Delicious. Incredible. Make them tonight!

Be sure to check out the Gooseberry Patch Christmas Cookbook on Amazon. This is a great collection of outstanding recipes and is worth a lot more than you’ll have to pay.

Mother’s Day Lemon Cookies Recipe

April 29, 2011 By Joi Sigers

Mother’s Day Lemon Cookies

Yield: Makes about 18 cookies

Process together in a food processor about 15 seconds:
2/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest

Beat with an electric mixer:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
Lemon Sugar (from above)

Add and mix:
1 large egg
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Whisk together, then add and beat to incorporate:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill until firm. Preheat oven to 350º. Roll dough out on a lightly floured counter to 1/4-inch thickness and cut, then transfer cookies onto cookie sheets that have been lined with parchment paper or silicone liners. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, until very lightly browned around the edges. Let cookies cool slightly on cookie sheets, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Decorate, if desired, before serving.

Lemon Icing
Melt 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, mix with 3 cups confectioners’ sugar, 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, and a pinch salt until smooth.

The ADORABLE cookie cutters shown at the top of the post are from Ann Clark – they’re only a sampling of the amazing cookie cutters you can find on the site. These cookie cutters are IDEAL for Mother’s Day and could be just as perfect for other times of the year:

Snacks for Emmy parties – or any award show
Birthdays
Church functions
Gifts for teachers
Snacks for watching Miss America or other pageants

If you’re half the cookie monster I am, you’ll want to bookmark Ann Clark. There’s no reason to look for cookie cutters anywhere else. Trust me, you’ll find things you never even thought of!

Michelle Branch’s Thumbprint Cookies

December 17, 2010 By Joi Sigers

I was reading the Parade section of my Sunday paper this past week, minding my own business, when I came across an article about a VERY favorite singer, Michelle Branch. In the article, she of an Angel’s voice wasn’t talking about her golden voice, music, or even being a beautiful celebrity.

She was focused entirely on baking – more specifically baking with her adorable little girl. I just became an even bigger fan.

She included a favorite recipe – for Thumbprint Cookies. Being a fan of both the baker and the baked, I tried the recipe the very next day.

Outstanding!

This is, honestly, the best Thumbprint Cookies recipe I’ve ever tried. They’re light, buttery, and look as delicious as they taste. This one’s a complete winner.

Thumbprint Cookies Recipe

2 cups sifted flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter (no substitutes!)
1/2 cup superfine sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract (or 1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract and 1/2 tsp almond extract)
Your preferred jam or other filling
1/2 cup sifted confectioner’s sugar

Sift together flour and salt; set aside. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy; add extract(s). Slowly mix in flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until just blended. Chill dough for 1 to 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Meanwhile, quickly shape dough into 1 inch balls and space them 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Make a deep thumbprint in the center of each; fill with preferred jam or chocolate.

Bake for 15 minutes, or until cookies are the color of pale sand. Transfer to wire cooling racks.

When cooled, dust with confectioner’s sugar. Pack in tins for gifts or serve to holiday guests.

Michelle’s Tips:

Don’t mishandle the dough – these cookies don’t have to look absolutely perfect. And the more you handle it, the softer and mushier it gets.

Wait until the cookies cool a bit before sprinkling them with powdered sugar. If you do it as soon as they come out of the oven, the sugar will completely disappear.

Even if your cookies don’t look perfect, they’ll still taste amazing. If you follow the recipe, you can’t go wrong.

This recipe makes about 48 cookies.

I used 2 tsp vanilla extract as opposed to part vanilla and part almond extract, although I can only imagine how delicious that’d be! For my filling, I went with Strawberry jam this time – but I’m anxious to experiment with something citrus-y as well as chocolate-y. Be sure you don’t overfill the holes with your jam – you want the jam to stay in the little hole in the center.

Also, you might want to try a cooled cookie before dusting with powdered sugar – you may decide to just serve them as is. If you do opt for a dusting of powdered sugar, go lightly. Whatever you do, don’t mask the buttery flavor or the wonderful flavor of your filling. (Strawberry jam is really perfect for these cookies.)

Also, when you put the dough into the refrigerator to chill – you might want to keep a close eye on it – maybe even two eyes. I left mine in there apparently too long because my dough was hard enough to knock someone out (you’ll be glad to know I didn’t test this out). HOWEVER, I let the dough sit there for a few minutes, on the counter, then proceeded. The cookies, honestly, couldn’t have been any more delicious if Mrs. Claus had made them herself.

So buttery. So rich. So wonderful. So going to make another batch this weekend.

Best Ever Butter Cookies Using the Best Ever Butter

March 22, 2010 By Joi Sigers

There are several brands that I either won’t deviate from or seldom branch out away from:

Land O Lakes Butter
Sara Lee Bread
Northstar Coffee or Starbucks Coffee

Land O Lakes Butter is something you’ll find at all times in my refrigerator. Whether it’s toast, eggs, pancakes, garlic bread, sourdough bread, corn on the cob, oatmeal – or a billion and one other foods – Land O Lakes makes great food taste even better. If you’ve ever been victimized by bad-tasting butter or margarine, you’ll understand my obsession with Land O Lakes. I once, long ago, had a killer batch of garlic mashed potatoes ruined by nasty margarine.

I vowed that my kitchen efforts would never be undermined again. That’s when I first tried Land O Lakes and I’ve never ventured away. I love the spreadable butters with canola oil and am thrilled to say that even the Light Butter with Canola Oil is outstanding.

The following recipe uses Land O Lakes butter which is precisely why it is as advertised: The best Butter Cookie recipe ever.

The Best Ever Butter Cookies Recipe

Cookie Ingredients:
1 cup LAND O LAKES® Butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 Egg
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon vanilla
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

Frosting Ingredients:
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup LAND O LAKES® Butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 to 2 tablespoons milk
Food color, if desired

Combine 1 cup butter, sugar and egg in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add orange juice and vanilla; mix well. Reduce speed to low; add flour and baking powder. Beat until well mixed.

Divide dough into thirds. Wrap each in plastic food wrap; flatten slightly. Refrigerate until firm (2 to 3 hours).

Heat oven to 400°F. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface, one-third at a time (keeping remaining dough refrigerated), to 1/8- to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut with 3-inch cookie cutters. Place 1 inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheets; sprinkle with decorator sugar. Bake for 6 to 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.

Combine powdered sugar, 1/3 cup butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla in small bowl. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often and gradually adding enough milk for desired spreading consistency. Tint with food color, if desired. Frost and decorate cooled cookies as desired.

Recipe Tip:
If you use a 4 to 5-inch cookie cutter, recipe will yield approximately 2 dozen cookies.

Visit Land O Lakes Website for more Buttery Delicious Recipes!

Here’s to Your Health:
“With LAND O LAKES® Spreadable Butter with Canola Oil, consumers don’t have a long, complex ingredient list to decipher,” says Peggy Ellingson, Vice President of Marketing. “Where many spreads have as many as 17 ingredients, our delicious spreadable butter with canola oil has only three,” she adds.

“Consumers are looking for purity and simplicity. That’s precisely what they get with LAND O LAKES® Spreadable Butter with Canola Oil,” says Ellingson. “When a consumer picks up our product and reads the ingredient list – which more and more consumers are doing today — it’s immediately apparent that they’re purchasing a product that’s natural, wholesome and free of any artificial additives or preservatives,” she adds.

Made with LAND O LAKES® Butter, canola oil, salt, LAND O LAKES® Spreadable Butter with Canola Oil addresses the number one consumer need in the butter category: the taste and wholesome, simple goodness of real butter with the convenience of a spread.

LAND O LAKES® Spreadable Butter with Canola Oil spreads beautifully over hot toast, freshly-baked blueberry muffins, fluffy pancakes, delicious waffles and flaky croissants. It’s ideal for topping a piping hot baked potato or your favorite vegetable. Consumers can enjoy how soft and easy it is to spread whether they try the 8-ounce tub or the convenient 15-ounce tub.

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