Soft Gingerbread Cookies

A couple of weeks ago I participated in a bake swap. It was a lot of fun. A group of gals gathered and shared some of their favorite goodies and recipes. I'm going to make a batch of these Soft Gingerbread Cookies today. There's more recipes to come. Enjoy!

Soft Gingerbread Cookies (for a large batch)

1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 cup lard (or shortening)
1 cup fancy molasses or eating molasses
1/2 boiling water
3 tsp baking soda dissolved in 1/2 cup boiling water
about 6 cups flour (enough to shape dough in a soft ball)

• Mix ginger and salt together in a large mixing bowl.
• Add sugar, lard and molasses and blend well.
• Add plain water and blend.
• Add half of the flour and mix.
• Add baking soda water mixture and blend well.
• Add flour until dough can be shaped into a softball.
• Roll out on floured board and cut out shapes.
• Place on greased cookie sheets and bake until centre is done. About 8 minutes.

Royal Icing

3 egg whites, at room temerature

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

2 cups icing sugar

few drops of flavoring

• Beat everything together until Icing stands in stiff peaks. DO NOT UNDERBEAT! 
• Keep icing covered with damp cloth.
• Keep leftovers in fridge, covered with damp cloth and in a airtight container.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Beat together margarine and sugars until creamy. Add eggs, milk and vanilla; beat well. Add combined flour, baking soda and salt; mix well. Stir in oats, chocolate chips and nuts; mix well.
3. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 9-10 minutes. Cool for 1 minute on cookie sheet; remove to wire rack.

Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup butter/margarine, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup cocoa
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup nuts, chopped (optional)

• Beat butter or margarine with brown sugar, and granulated sugar. 
• Beat in eggs and vanilla.
• Gradually blend dry ingredients into creamed mixture.
• Add chocolate chips and nuts. 
• Drop by tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake at 350 for 8 to 10 minutes (for soft and chewy).
• Once cooled down place in a air tight container, and they will stay soft.

Rocky Road Cookies

I'm excited to share my first attempt of coming up with a recipe all by myself. When I have more time I'll probably tweak it some more, but for now it's good enough to pass it on.
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 3/4 cup flour
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 cup marshmallows

• Beat butter or margarine with brown sugar, and granulated sugar. 
• Beat in eggs and vanilla.
• Gradually blend dry ingredients into creamed mixture.
• Add chocolate chips and nuts.
• Drop by tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake at 350 for 8 to 10 minutes (for soft and chewy).
• These MUST cool. Just so you can pick them up. These are best the next day.

Change it up: Instead of going for rocky road ice cream. Just serve some of these bad boys on a few scoops of vanilla ice cream. They're the bomb.

White Chocolate Chip Macadamia Nut Cookies

1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups white chocolate chips
1 cup macadamia nuts, chopped

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Cream butter and sugar together. 
• Stir in vanilla and eggs.
• Combine flour, baking soda and salt. 
• Finally stir in white chocolate chips and nuts.
• Drop on cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes.

*I usually never let cookies cool because I LOVE freshly baked cookies, but these cookies are much better the next day.

Oatmeal Macadamia Nut Chocolate Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup white chocolate or peanut butter chips
1 cup chopped macadamia nuts

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl combine butter, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; beat until combined.
• Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add flour and cocoa powder; beat on low speed until combined. stir in oats, semisweet chocolate chips, white chocolate chips (or peanut butter chips) and nuts.
• Place on cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes. 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup Butter, softened
1 1/2 cups Peanut Butter with Chocolate
1 cup Granulated Sugar
1 1/2 cup Brown Sugar, firmly packed
2 large Eggs
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Baking Soda
2 cups All Purpose Flour

•  Cream together butter, peanut butter and both sugars until smooth.
• Add eggs and vanilla. 
• Add salt, soda and flour.
• Mix well.
• Drop dough by tablespoonfuls onto greased baking sheets. 
• Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 8 - 10 minutes.
  

Brownie Chip Cookies

Brownie Chip Cookies
1 1/3 cup butter or margarine
¾ cup brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 ½ tsp vanilla
2 ¼ cups flour
2/3 cup cocoa
1 tsp. Baking soda
½ tsp salt
3 Tbsp milk
2 cups white chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

• Cream together butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar.
• Beat in eggs and vanilla.
• Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt in separete bowl.
• Blend dry ingredients into creamed mixture alternately with milk.
• Stir in white chocolate chips and nuts.
• Drop dough by tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheet. 
• Bake at 350 degrees F. For 8 to 10 mintues. 

Makes about 4 ½ dozen cookies.
For a change try switching the white chocolate chips for a different flavor.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar

½ cup granulated sugar
2 eggs

½ tsp vanilla
2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt.

2 cups Semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

• Beat butter or margarine with brown sugar, and granulated sugar. 
• Beat in eggs and vanilla.
• Gradually blend dry ingredients into creamed mixture.
• Add chocolate chips and nuts.
• Drop by tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake at 350 for 8 to 10 minutes (for soft and chewy).
• Once cooled down place in a air tight container, and they will stay soft.

For a change I like to use 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate and 1 cup of peanut butter chips. Instead of the full 2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Coconut Oatmeal Cookies!

Coconut Oatmeal Cookies!

1 1/4 cups butter, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup flaked coconut
1 cup white chocolate chips

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). 
• In a medium bowl, cream together butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Mix in the egg and vanilla. Combine flour and baking soda; blend into creamed mixture. Stir in the rolled oats, coconut, and white chocolate chips. Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheets.
• Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in preheated oven, or until lightly browned. Cool on wire racks.