Classic Peanut Butter Cookies

One the course I choose to do this year for my senior year in high school was Nutritional Living. Reason being was, well, I thought it'd be good to learn more about healthier foods and healthier ways of cooking. I mean, I'm a junk food, meat, sweet addict. To learn how to have meat as well as sweets in a healthier way, I thought it'd be good for not only me, but for the people I cook and bake for, you know?

This class is about health foods. So, I found it kind of funny how the first thing we we're going to make were Peanut Butter Cookies. Go figure. Not that I'd obey though. Since peanut butter cookies happen to be one of my all time favorite cookies! Peanut butter cookies are the best cookie choice for milk. Well, that's just me though. Most like chocolate chip cookies or, the famous one, Oreos. But I'm a peanut butter cookie girl ;]

The recipe we made in class was a basic peanut butter cookie. The same recipe I've used many many times with my mom and my grammys. It's a classic. Classics are the best!

Recipe

1 cup shortening
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt


1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, combine shortening, peanut butter, sugars, vanilla and eggs. Stir thoroughly till combined.

3. In a medium bowl, shirt flour, powder, soda and salt. Slowly, add the flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture.

4. Roll into 1 1/4 inch bolls and place on baking sheet. With a fork, make a criss-cross pattern on the top, flattening it slightly.

5. Place in oven and bake for 8-10 minutes. Once done, let sit for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.

Yields 6 1/2 dozen 2 1/2 inch sized cookies

Banana Oatmeal Cookies

Bananas are one of those things that I love to bake with. I never get tired of baking up some comforting banana bread or some big, yummy muffins. I love baking with them and having them. One thing that I've always had trouble finding was a good recipe for banana cookies. I tried my handful of tries and as well as tried several other recipes for banana cookies, but, I've never been to crazy about them. I don't want a cookies that reminds me of eating a banana muffin. I mean, its a cookie, not a muffin.

I recently have seen a lot of people talking about The Essential Chocolate Chip Cookbook by Elinor Klivans. I've heard that it's a really awesome cookbook to have on hand, so, when I got the money, I decided to go check it out. One of the recipes that appealed to me was the Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies. They looked really good, and, healthy. After seeing the blogger Erin Cooks post on the cookies, I decided that I need to bake them right away.

What was so great about these cookies, for me, was that they didn't taste like a banana muffin. They tasted like they were really a Banana Cookies, which, was what I was looking for. I did, however, not add the chocolate chips. I wanted to make these so that my father could eat them too (who doesn't really enjoy chocolate... hard to believe, right?), so I didn't had the chocolate chips. Nonetheless, they still came out really well. This is a recipe I'll be keeping on hand.

Recipe

1 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
6 tbsp. butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup rolled oats
2 bananas, ripe


1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a small bowl, stir the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together, set aside. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugars until smoothly blended. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until blended.

3. Slowly add the flour mixture with the butter mixture, mixing just until it is incorporated. Stir in the oatmeal. Use a large spoon to mix in the ripe bananas and mash, mixing just until they are evenly distributed.

4. Drop by tablespoonfuls of dough onto prepared baking sheets. Bake until edges are lightly browned and the tops look dry, about 18 minutes. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies

Chocolate Marshmallow Delights

Marshmallows, in all honestly, are not my kind of thing. I'm not exactly the marshmallow kind of girls. Unless they're in a rice crispy or are melted between graham crackers and chocolate, I'm not one to eat it. However, when I cake across this recipe when looking threw one of Martha Stewart's Cookie Book (which is a must have for any cookie lover out there), I had to stop on the page and marvel at the cookies. They looked so good! And I had been in the mood lately for a really good cookies; But not just a simple cookie. So I decided that I'd go ahead and try these.

I really liked the cookies itself before the frosting and marshmallows. It was very cake like. It kind of had the texture like my Peanut Butter Munchies, which, I really like. I liked the frosting idea. It gave the cookies a nice coating over it. But, I think I have a better idea (which I will probably do soon). All in all, there were pretty awesome. Any chocolate + marshmallow lovers out there must try these!

Recipe

For the Cookies

1 3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. course salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup whole milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
About 15 marshmallows, halved crosswise

For the Frosting

3 cups confectioners' sugar
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup plus 1 1/2 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp. whole milk
3/4 tsp vanilla extract


1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Make cookies: Sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt into a bowl.

2. Put butter and sugar into the bowl and mix on medium high until fluffy and pale, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to medium low; mix in egg, milk and vanilla. Mix in flour mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, until combined.

3. Using a 1 3/4-inch ice cream scoop, drop dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until firm, 8 to 10 minutes. Immediately press a marshmallow half on top of each cookie. Bake until marshmallows begin to melt, 2 minutes more. Let cool completely on sheets on wire racks.

4. To make the frosting, Put powdered sugar in a medium bowl. Melt butter with the cocoa in a sauce pan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Add butter mixture to the powdered sugar. Whisk in milk and vanilla.

5. Spread about 1 tbsp. of frosting on top of each cookie to cover marshmallow. Let stand until set, about 10 minutes. Cookies can be stored in single layers in airtight containers at room temperature up to 2 days.

Peanut Butter Cookies

After my first entry, the Peanut Butter Torte for the new blogging event I recently joined, Tuesdays with Dorie, I had left over peanut butter that would be of better use with baking rather than being slabbed onto a slice of bread.

I hadn't had peanut butter cookies in so long. I use to eat them all the time when I was at my aunts house. She use to make cookies all the time (actually, she still does!), but I don't go there as often as I use to, but when I do, theres always something that she baked. She loves to cook and bake, and they're all awesome! But, thats beside the point.

I was just really in the mood for a good peanut butter cookie. I knew everyone in the house would love them, especially Chris and my father. They both love peanut butter. They both love peanut butter but try not to have it to often. But, I knew that they would like these, and so would I. They are really delicious, and I make them teaspoonful for smaller cookies for snacks. There just amazing. I even caught my dad sneaking a cookie late last night (he'll never admit it though..).

Recipe

1 1/4 cups flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup peanut butter (smooth or chunky)
3/4 cup plus some for sprinkling
1/2 cup packed brown sugar (I used light, though, dark would be fine)
1 egg
1 tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup chocolate chips


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and the salt. Set aside.

2. In another bowl, beat in the butter and the peanut butter until fluffy. Add sugar and beat until smooth. Add egg and mix well. Then add the milk and the vanilla.

3. Slowly add the dry mixture into the wet mixture and beat thoroughly. Fold in the chocolate chips. Place some sugar on a plate for sprinkling. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls into the sugar, then onto baking sheet lined with parchment. Leave about 1 inch between each cookie. Using a fork, lightly indent with a criss cross pattern.

4. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Do not overbake. Cool the cookies on the sheets for 1 minute, then remove to a rack to cool completely.

Peanut Butter Sandies

If your a peanut butter lover, than these are totally the right cookies for you! To he honest, I think the cookies are just an excuse to have pure peanut butter. Because it taste just as if your licking peanut butter from the spoon; But you don't want to just say, "I want peanut butter." No, you dress it up in the form of a cookie!

I decided to make these to send to a friend of mine, along with other cookies, so that he could have some. I was already sending my Chocodoodles and my Chocolate Chunk and Dried Cherry Oatmeal Cookies, and I wanted to add something else to the batch of cookies. I already have chocolate, as well as oatmeal, so, why not peanut butter?

My whole objective with these cookies were to make them taste as peanut butter-y as possible. Which, these defiantly defined pure peanut butter very well. The ones I had in sent to work and friends, they were devoured in 1 second flat! It was well loved. This recipe is very simple. And it's much better than just have peanut butter on a spoon!

Recipe

1 3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1 cup flour
1 cup light brown sugar


1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. In a large bowl, beat together sugar and peanut butter. Slowly add flour and mix until thoroughly combined.

3. Using your hands, roll about a tablespoons of dough together into a ball. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and press slightly to flatten.

4. Bake 8 minutes or until the bottoms are lightly golden. Allow to cool on the sheet for about 5 minutes then carefully remove to wire racks to continue to cool. It is best to allow them to cool completely before eating, they "set" while they cool.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies

Oatmeal Raisin Sandwich Cookies

It is the cookies I use to live off as a kid. It was the treat I always looked forward to (beside ice cream that is..), and its probably one of the most famous cookies among children (well, beside the chocolate chip cookies). We see these cookies usually all the time in the grocery store. The ones that are in a box, next the the twinkies, cinnamon swirls, snow balls, ho hos, mini donuts (you know, all the junk food) and etc. But thats the food I lived off as a kid. It was also the reasons I drove my parents insane while being high off sugar, jumping up and down off the walls.

Oatmeal Raisin Sandwich cookies. Just the name makes me happy. For one, the oatmeal cookies has got to be my favorite cookies that exist in this entire world, but to have it into a sandwich; Ohmygoodness. With a creamy, silk filling in between two soft, chewy oatmeal raisin cookies; it's just to die for.

Oatmeal cookies are my favorite cookies to use when having a sandwich cookies, but one of my other favorite cookies to use would have to be one of my other favorite cookies; white chocolate, chocolate cookies.You can really use whatever kind of cookies you desire. From monster cookies to heath bar cookies, you can use whatever. You could even use my Oatmeal Walnut Peanut Butter Cocoa Cookies; Now that'd be a treat!!

Recipe

Cookies

1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups quick cooking rolled oats (not instant)
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup cup sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup raisins


Filling

12 oz. cream cheese
1/3-1/2 cup honey
1/2 tsp. vanilla


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and rolled o2ats. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and the sugars. Beat in eggs. Add applesauce and vanilla. Gradually begin adding the flour mixture the th sugar mixture, slowly mixing the two together. Don't over mix. Fold in raisins.

4. Drop dough by 2 tbsp. full, shaping them into a ball. Leave about 3 inches between each ball to allow to spread.

5. Bake for about 12-15 minutes, or until cookies are golden on the edges. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan before transferring to wired rack to cool completely.

6. For the filling, make sure the cream cheese is softened. Beat all ingredients in until smooth. Spread a generous amount on the flat side of half the cookies. Sandwich together and serve.

Make about 14 large sandwich cookies

Chocodoodles

I've always been a Snickerdoodle fan and have always been one to choose it over any other cookie. I even like it more than I do an oatmeal cookie! I mean, whats not to love about these cookies? Their basically sugar cookies coated in cinnamon sugar. How could you not like that?

Not to long ago, I was just sitting around, thinking. And then a thought came to mind; "Wonder what a Snickerdoodle would taste like with a little bit of cocoa...". And thats basically how I came about to trying this out.

What I did was, when I was combine the flour into the bowl, I would take 2 tablespoons of flour out, and add 2 tablespoons of cocoa. It's really simple, not hard at all. And you'll defiantly like the results of the cookies. The cookies had a sort of cake-like texture. And were to love. You'll defiantly fall in love with these cookies and think of Snickerdoodles in a whole new way.

A little tip for this recipe. With the nutmeg, be very careful! Do not add anymore than 1/2 tsp. of nutmeg! Anymore than that, and it will overpower.

Recipe

1 2/3 cups flour
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/3 cup sugar + 2 tbsp. for rolling
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tbsp. cinnamon


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment.

2. Combine flour, nutmeg, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

3. Beat butter and 1/3 cup sugar until creamy. Add egg and vanilla. Stir in dry ingredients until smooth.

4. In a small bowl or plate, mix together cinnamon and 2 tbsp. sugar. With a tablespoon, roll dough into balls, then roll in cinnamon mixture. Place on baking sheet.

5. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. Cool on baking sheet for one minute, then cool completely on cooling rack.

For Chocodoodles: Replace 2 tbsps. of flour with with cocoa.

Makes about 32 cookies

Sugar Cookies

I love sugar cookies. Can you really ever go wrong with a sugar cookie?

What I really love about sugar cookies, besides how good and yummy that are, it's that you can cut out a bunch of your own little shapes. What I usually do with sugar cookies, is I actually draw out the picture I want, like, say, a cartoon character, and then I place it over the rolled dough, and cut them out. I didn't really feel up to do that today, but I'll post some of my creations soon.

Another plus to making sugar cookies and cutting them out is that it's really great to do with kids. My little brother, who's always wanting to help me bake, weather it be to knead, fold, stir or cut, he always wants to help me (he's a real sweetheart). But, most of the time, I always say no. I'm a bit of a perfectionist and when it comes to baking, I always want them to be perfect. But with sugar cookies, this was something my little brother got to really enjoyed and have fun with. He got to cut out his own shapes and then decorate them as he wanted to with the frosting or the sprinkle. He, as well as I, had a lot of fun with them.

Oh and this frosting; I really like this kind of frosting. Reason being is because it hardens. I don't really like cookies with any sort of gooey frosting as if coming from a cake. If it sticks to things, then you can't throw the cookies into its one bowl. With this frosting, after it hardens, you can throw them all together and not worry that they may stay together! Yay!

Recipe

Cookies

1 1/2 cup sifted confectioners sugar
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. almond extract
2 1/2 cup sifted flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cream of tartar

Icing

2 cups sifted confectioners sugar
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1/4 cup milk
Food Coloring


1. Cream butter for 2 minutes, add sugar and beat for an additional 2 minutes. Add eggs, vanilla, and almond extract and beat until light and fluffy. Combine dry ingredients and add to batter. Stir to blend.

2. Divide batter in half, forming two balls. Wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

3. Using a rolling pin, roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/8 thickness. Dip cutters into batter; cut out shapes.Place cookies on lined or lightly greased cookie sheets. Bake at 375°F for 7-8 minutes.

4. To make icing, combine sugar, almond extract and just enough milk (about 1/4 cup) to make the frosting the consistency of thin glue. Pour icing into shallow bowls wide enough for dipping cookies. Add food coloring.

5. To decorate, dip the topside of each cookie into the icing. Remove quickly and let icing drip of excess back into the icing bowl. Let dry. Pour additional colored frosting into pastry piping, or use a plastic sandwich bag with the tip of one corner nicked off. Gently squeeze frosting on to cookies in whatever patterns you choose.

Makes 2-3 dozen

Chocolate Chunk and Dried Cherry Oatmeal Cookies

At first, to be honest, I didn't know how these cookies would come out. I really was uneasy as to if I would like the combination of the oats, chocolate and the dried cherries. Cherries are pretty tart, so I didn't so if it would go well with the sweetness of the chocolate and oats. Even my boyfriend Chris, when I told him what I was making, he said, "Dried Cherry? Uh..." He has the same reaction as everyone else had when I told them what I was making.

When I toke them out of the oven, it gave off a sweet smell, but I think any cookie really smells delicious as soon as it comes out of the oven, so I didn't jump to conclusions as to if it would be good or not. After letting them cool, I finally got to try the cookies. Both me and Chris were really interested as to how it was, so we couldn't really wait to taste it.

And to our surprise, it was really good! The chewiness of the oats were perfect, the chocolate chunks were delicious, no explanation there, and the cherries... They really do add a nice tartness to the combination of everything and actually helps balance everything together. It was really good. I can't wait to let everyone try these cookies!

Recipe

1 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
3 cups oats
1 cup dried cherries
8 ounces chocolate chunks


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Beat butter and sugar together until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing each addition. Add vanilla.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Gradually add the butter mixture until combined. Stir in oats, cherries and chocolate chunks.

4. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until bottom edges are lightly browned. Cool on pan for a few minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies

Heath Bar Cookies

I think I've become addicted to cookies. I really never liked cookies to much till a few months ago. I was always able to pass off a cookies; But now, I can't! I've just come to absolutely love cookies! And I really wanted to make cookies these afternoon; Reaaalllly wanted to make some. But I wanted to make a cookie I hadn't made yet.

I've always been a pretty big fan of the Heath Bars and I usually always have the heath bar toffee pieces or heath bars somewhere floating in the pantry. And I happened to have some in there today. So I decided to make a cookie with the heath bar toffee pieces. I really wanted to add walnuts to this, however, sadly, I had none. It would had been so much better if I had walnuts!

But the cookies came out so good! They were very soft cookies; Really, really soft actually. Which I really liked. You can had 2 minutes to the baking time to have cookies that aren't so soft; But I these cookies are a must try.

Recipe

2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups chopped Heath Bar pieces (toffee bites)
1/2 cup walnuts (optional)


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift flour, salt ad baking soda in a bowl. Set aside. In a separate bowl, combine the heath bar pieces and walnuts. set aside.

2. Cream butter until fluffy. Add the sugar and continue to beat until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Beat well. Add vanilla.

3. Alternatively add the heath bar mixture and the flour mixture, a third at a time, until well blended. Chill the cookie dough for at least 30 minutes. An hour would be better.

4. On a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, spoon the cookies dough in 1-inch diameter balls. Place 3 inches from each other. These cookies do spread, so be careful.

5. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until edges are just starting to brown. Remove from oven then let cool for a few minutes. Then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Makes about 6 dozen cookies

Dark Chocolate Coconut Cookies

Ok. So, I've become a huge fan of watching Bobby Flays show 'Throwdown with Bobby Flay.' I love to see all the people he goes up against and the real people out there that can bake and/or cook so good, that it even better than Bobby Flay (And I use to think Bobby Flay was the best!). The latest episode, Bobby Flay had a cookie throwdown against one of New Yorks favorite bakeries; Levain Bakery.

I've seen this little bakery a few times when walking down 74th st., but, I've never gone in to try anything of theirs. I really wish I did now. After seeing this episode of throwdown, I just wanted to kick myself in the butt and tell myself just how dumb I was for never going into they're bakery while I had the chance.

Soon after watching the show, I was on the internet in search for a recipe of they're delicious looking cookies. It took me awhile, but I came across one. Tried it right away, didn't waste time, wanted to have the cookies right away. And oh my lord! They were so sinful, you can tell just by looking at they're size, but, they were so, so, so flippin delicious! It was heaven...

Now, their original cookies were with walnuts instead of pecans, however, I'm a pecan girl. So I replaced the walnuts with pecans. I'll be sure to go to they're bakery next time I'm in New York. I need to try the real things!

Recipe

2 1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup dark cocoa powder
1/4 tsp. baking powder
pinch of salt
2 sticks butter, softened
1 1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup large pecan pieces
1 1/8 unsweetened shredded coconut


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a medium bowl, cream the butter and the sugar together until well blended and fluffy. Add the eggs and beat until well incorporated, then beat in cocoa powder.

3. Mix in flour, salt and baking powder until just combined. Gently fold in remaining ingredients.

4. Transfer dough to a clean work surface and gently mix dough by hand to ensure even distribution of ingredients. Divide into 12 equal portions and transfer on a sheet pan with parchment paper.

5. Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes. Take care not to over bake. Let cool on rack.

Be sure to store in an airtight container!

Banana Cookie Bars

I don't know if I have really ever tasted a cookie bar that tasted as good as these. I didn't think anything could necessarily beat my love for banana bread, but this is really making me question whether or not these are better or not.

These cookie bars are really rich and chewy and so darn delicious! To describe what they taste like me would be to say... It's like a slice of banana bread in between two chocolate brownies. That's how I would describe these bars. When you take the first bite, the bananas and the chocolate really come threw very strong. If your a chocoholic, I would defiantly recommend these. If not, a good alternative for instead of a chocolate crust would be a graham cracker crust or even a shortbread version. You could even switch the dark chocolate chips for butterscotch chips or peanut butter chips or even white chocolate chips. Theres a variety away to change it around, but this one is defiantly meant for the chocolate lovers out there.

Recipe

1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 tsp. salt
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup confectioner sugar
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
2 bananas, mashed
2 cup dark chocolate chips
1 cup walnuts
2/3 cup shredded coconut


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 13 x 9 inch baking pan with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, soft together flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Set aside. In another bowl, beat butter and confectioner sugar until creamy. With two spoons or by hand, stir butter mixture with flour mixture to mix together. Take both spoons and push down the butter mixture with the flour mixture. It will take time, but batter will become moist, but kind of stiff.

3. Press mixture into prepared baking pan and bake for about 15 minutes.

4. In a medium bowl, Mix together condensed milk and bananas until incorporated. Once the crust has baked for 15 minutes, take out and pour the banana mixture over it. Combined chocolate chips, walnuts and coconut together in a bowl and sprinkle over the top.

5. Bake for abut 25-30 minutes. Let cool completely, roughly around 10-15 minutes. Then, chill in the fridge for about an hour. To chill quicker, place in the freezer for 25 minutes. These are much better when chilled. After chilled, cut into desired sizes.

Outrageous Chocolate Chip Cookies

I found some time today to bake up some cookies; Surprisingly. Though I love the holidays and the cooking and the family time we spend together during this season; I am so glad that the holidays have passed! It's a good thing it only comes once a year; It'd be way to chaotic for me if it came more than once a year!

I didn't really know what kind of cookie I wanted to make at first. When I asked my boyfriend what kind of cookie he'd want, he gave me just a boring answer; Chocolate Chip Cookies. Ugh! Though I do love chocolate chip cookies (who doesn't?!), they're a bit to boring for me to make. I like my cookies to have a little bit something special to them. Different. Not ordinary.

To give these chocolate chip cookies a 'pop', I added peanut butter, a little bit of oatmeal, just for a chewy-er taste, and I mixed the chocolate between white chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate chips. They came out really good and my boyfriend really had a liking to them. Next time though, I think I may use dark chocolate chips and white chocolate chips instead semi and white.

Recipe

1 cup flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup white chocolate chip
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a medium bowl, cream together butter and sugars until smooth. Stir in the peanut butter, vanilla and egg until well blended. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Stir until the batter is just moistened.

3. Mix in oats and chocolate chips into batter until evenly distributed. Drop by tablespoons onto lightly greased cookie sheets.

4. Bake for about 10 to 12 minutes, until edges begin to brown. Cool on cookie sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Make about 2 dozen cookies

Oatmeal Walnut Peanut Butter Cocoa Cookies

I've always loved Oatmeal Cookies. Oatmeal cookies, honestly, have to be my most all time favorite cookies there is. However, I'm really picky about my Oatmeal cookies. As I am with all my cookies. I like mine to be nice and chewy. Never can they be hard nor can they be fall apart soft.

These cookies are my ideal Oatmeal Cookie. Not only do they have everything that you could really ask for in them, they come out nice and chewy and so delicious that it'll kick you in the butt for just how delicious these cookies are!

If your a huge Oatmeal Cookie fan like I, then you will instantly fall in love with these cookies! I know I did. And I'm having to hide myself some so that I have cookies for myself for when I'm in a fix for one. Being the fact that these cookies are quickly disappearing!

Recipe

1 1/3 cups flour
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup walnuts, chopped


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Beat butter in a large bowl until smooth. Add white sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Beat until well combined. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addiction. Add vanilla.

3. Gradually add flour and cocoa powder, just until well combined. Stir in oats, chocolate chips, peanut butter chips and walnuts.

4. Drop dough by rounder tablespoon onto a lined baking sheet. Bake for about 12-14 minutes. Let stand for 1-2 minutes on baking sheet before transfering to a wire rack to cool completely.

Yields 4 dozen cookies