Spice Cookies

Note-  this dough must chill before baking-

4  3/4 C  Flour
2  TB baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp  cinnamon
1  1/2  tsp ground ginger
=  combine- sift together and set aside.

3/4 pound of unsalted butter at room temperature
1  3/4 C  granulated sugar
2   eggs 
1 tsp real vanilla
1/2 C molasses


Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.  add eggs one at a time.  Add vanilla.  Beat on medium speed until just blended.  Add molasses.  mix until just blended.  Add dry ingredients.  Mix starting on low speed and increasing speed to med. high.  Mix just until blended (30- 40 seconds).  Roll into 4 logs- 1 1/2 inches in circumference and wrap in plastic wrap.  Chill for 1 to 2 hours (or they can be frozen for later use).  Remove just one at a time and slice 3/8" thick and bake at 350 for 12 minutes.  Let sit for 2 minutes on pan- then remove promptly to a cooling rack.

Giant Fortune Cookies

1 C  all-purpose Flour
1 TB cornstarch
1/2 C sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 C cooking oil (like veg. oil or canola)
1/2 C egg whites
1 TB water
2 TB vanilla

prepare "fortunes"

mix all dry ingredients together.  Add oil and egg whites, beating until smooth.  Beat in water and vanilla.  Drop 1/3 C of batter onto a greased baking sheet (or silpat) and spread evenly into a 10" circle.  Bake only one or two at a time at 300 for about 14 minutes or until lightly golden brown.  With a WIDE spatula, remove one cookie at a time from the oven to shape.

Working quickly- flip the baked cookie onto your hand (use a towel or wear white cotton (church type) gloves to keep the cookie from sticking toyou hand).  Place a fortune paper in the center of a cookie and lightly fold it in half.  DO NOT CREASE THE COOKIE.  Next place the folded edge over the side of a bowl, allowing the ends to fall downwards.  Hold together for a couple of minutes while the cookie cools and firms.  Repeat.

Makes about 6 large cookies - you can also make small ones-  but still only make one or two at a time.
This takes some practice to get nice looking cookies- but so fun to make.

Oatmeal Cookies

2 C  brown sugar
2 C  granulated sugar
2 C  BUTTER (not marg)-  softened
4     eggs
1 tsp salt
2 tsp  baking powder
2 tsp  baking soda
2 tsp  real vanilla
4 C  Flour
5 C  Quick cooking oats (not instant)
3 C  chopped nuts (optional)
3 C  raisins (optional)
3 C  chips (chocolate, butterscotch, white chocolate, whatever you like- and also optional)


Preheat oven to 400. Cream sugars and butter.  Add eggs and beat well.  Add next 4 ingredients and mix well.  Mix in flour and oats.  Add any optional "treat" ingredients.  

Make into golf-ball sized balls of dough.  Place on cookie sheet 2 " apart and press down slightly.  Bake for 6-8 minutes-  don't want to overcook these.

makes approx 75- 100 cookies- depending on size of dough balls.

Rolo Cookies

1 C  Peanut Butter
1/2 C Shortening
1/2 C Butter
1 C packed brown sugar
1 C granulated sugar
1/4 C milk
2 eggs
3  1/2 C  Flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp  salt

2 bags rolos-  unwrapped

preheat oven to 375. 

Cream first 5 ingredients. Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl.  Add eggs one at a time to sugar/butter mixture.  Alternate adding dry mixture and milk to creamed mixture- beginning and ending with dry mixture.  Use a small cookie scoop to scoop dough.  Press unwrapped rolo in middle of dough until rolo is covered with dough. Place on cookie sheet 2 inches apart.  Bake 8-10 minutes- let cool for about 2 min- then move to a cooling rack.