Peppermint Meltaways

Recipe from Taste of Home (and yes, they really do melt in your mouth)

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 
  FROSTING:
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 2 to 3 drops red food coloring, optional
• 1/2 cup crushed peppermint candies

Directions

• In a small bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in extract. Combine flour and cornstarch; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.
• Shape into 1-in. balls (I used a small cookie scoop). Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.
• In a small bowl, beat butter until fluffy. Add the confectioners’ sugar, milk, extract and food coloring if desired; beat until smooth. Spread over cooled cookies; sprinkle with crushed candies. Store in an airtight container. Yield: 3-1/2 dozen.

Andes Mint Cookies

1 1/2 c. butter (3 sticks)

4 TBSP. water

3 c. brown sugar

4 eggs

4 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

5 c. flour

1 bag Andes Mints chips (chopped small)

In a saucepan melt butter, brown sugar, and water on LOW heat.

ADD chocolate chips and only melt 1/2 way (doesn't take long). Take off stove and put in large bowl for 10 min.

Beat in eggs one at a time.

Add flour, salt, b.soda and mix.

Chill in fridge for 1 hour (its a weird consistency, but dough will stiffen up in fridge)

Bake @ 350* on foiled pan for 9-10 minutes

Top and swirl with Andes Mints pieces as soon as they come out of the oven. ENJOY!

***FYI***

This recipe makes a TON of cookies! (~ 6 dozen or so)....

you could easily 1/2 the recipe for a smaller batch.

Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Ingredients:

2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 6-ounce package Ocean Spray® Craisins® Original Dried Cranberries
2/3 cup white chocolate chunks or chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Using an electric mixer, beat butter or margarine and sugar together in a medium mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, mixing well. Combine oats, flour, baking soda and salt in a separate mixing bowl. Add to butter mixture in several additions, mixing well after each addition. Stir in sweetened dried cranberries and white chocolate chunks.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack.

Makes approximately 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

Pumpkin Cookies

...or should i call these our "weekly treat"...because that's what they've turned into! SERIOULSY, I'm addicted to these things. The good thing is they aren't COMPLETELY bad for you....and they're so dang easy!


*PREHEAT OVEN 375 degrees

• 1 box Spice Cake mix
  
• 1 (15oz.) can pumpkin
  
• 1/4 c. applesauce (opt) for moisture
• semisweet chocolate chips (i prefer mini chips)

*Mix first 3 ingredients well then fold in amount of chocolate chips desired.

*Drop batter onto baking sheets (teaspoon size or bigger) and bake for about 15 minutes. My oven in Ohio cooks a little hot, so i cook at 355 degrees for 15 minutes.

These are very moist (eek, i hate that word) cookies! The texture is a little different, so if weird textures bother you, you may not like them. That's ok though, that means there's more for me!

ENJOY!!!!!