Frosted Ginger Cookies

1 ½ cups butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

½ cup molasses

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 ½ cups flour

1 tablespoon ginger

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons cinnamon

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon cloves



Frosting:

1/3 cup butter

3 cups powdered sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon milk or more (enough to make frosting spreadable)

Add some cinnamon



*Cream butter and sugars. Add eggs one at a time. Stir in molasses and vanilla. Add dry. Bake at 325 degrees for 12-15 minutes. (Don’t over bake.) Cool. Frost. Yields approximately 6 dozen.

Cherry Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Makes about 5 dozen cookies

* 2 sticks butter, softened
* 3/4 cup granulated sugar
* 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
* 1 teaspoon sea salt
* 2 eggs
* 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
* 10 ounces dark chocolate chunks
* 3/4 cup dried cherries

Instructions: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugars and salt until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, then add vanilla, beating after each addition. Slowly add in the baking soda and flour, beating until well combined, taking care not to overmix. With a spatula, fold in the chocolate chunks and cherries.

Using two tablespoons or a small ice cream scoop, form cookies and place on ungreased baking sheets. If baking right away, the cookies should be 2 inches apart on the baking sheets, and should be baked for about 9 minutes in a 350° oven.

If freezing, place cookies right next to one another on one cookie sheet, and freeze for at least 30 minutes until firm, then transfer cookies to a self-sealing plastic freezer bag.

You can pull them out as needed and bake them directly from the freezer in a preheated 350° oven for about 11 minutes.

Peanut Butter Cookies

1 Cup butter, softened (2 sticks)
1 Cup granulated white sugar
1 Cup brown sugar, firmly packed
2 eggs
1 TB pure vanilla extract
1 Cup peanut butter
3 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
dash salt
1/2 cup vanilla sugar to roll cookies in

Preheat oven to 375, lightly grease 2 cookie sheets and set aside/ Cream together the butter and sugars. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Add the peanut butter and mix until well blended. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add to the creamed mixture and mix until blended well. Roll dough into 1 inch balls. Roll the balls in the sugar if desired (and why wouldn't you?). Place on the cookie sheets, 12 to a sheet. Using a fork flatten the cookies with a crisscross pattern. Put two pans in the oven at a time. Bake for 8 minutes for chewy cookies or 10 minutes for crispy cookies, switching the pans, top to bottom-bottom to top, after half of the baking time.

Prep time: 10 min
Baking time: 30 min
Yield: 6 dozen

Date Nut Cookies

* 2 Cups all-purpose flour
* 2 Cups pitted dates
* 1/2 tsp. salt
* 1/2 tsp. baking soda
* 1 tsp. PUMPKIN PIE SPICE
* 1/2 Cup butter
* 1 Cup brown sugar
* 1 egg
* 1 tsp. PURE VANILLA EXTRACT
* 1/2 Cup buttermilk
* 1/2 Cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 375°. Grease two cookie sheets with vegetable shortening, because butter burns easily and will make the cookies dark. Measure the flour and sift into a roomy bowl. Slice the dates and toss them in 2 TB. of the flour and set them aside. Add the salt, baking soda, and PUMPKIN PIE SPICE to the remaining flour and sift again. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the egg and the PURE VANILLA EXTRACT to the sugar mixture and blend until thoroughly mixed. Next, add the flour mixture, alternating with the buttermilk and blending thoroughly after each addition. Mix the dates and pecans into the dough by hand. Drop by rounded teaspoonsful onto the greased cookie sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes. The cookies should be soft and not too brown.

Yield: 4-5 dozen.
Prep. time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 10 minutes