Corn Flake cookies

I'm sure you've all had these before, but to me they're extra special. My maternal grandmother doesn't like to cook or bake (she's obviously NOT from West Virginia). But she always wanted us to have a sweet treat so she would make us these cookies. My mom just made a batch with Emma and so it brought up all those happy memories.

1 cup of sugar
1 cup of white Karo
1/2 cup of peanut butter
2 tsp. vanilla
4 cups Corn Flakes

Bring sugar and Karo to a boil. Remove from heat. Add in the peanut butter and stir. Add in the vanilla and stir. Add in the corn flakes, stir and then drop by tablespoon on to wax paper.

* I like to add in mini M&M's too ... but grandma doesn't know that. You can also melt a little chocolate and drizzle over them.

Cookie Salads

My sister is in love with these two recipes. What could be better than cookie SALAD?

Keebler Cookie Salad
-2 c. buttermilk
-2 (3 oz. each) pkg. instant vanilla pudding
-1 (16 oz.) Cool Whip
-1 (13 oz.) pkg. Keebler Fudge Stripe Cookies, broken into pieces

-2 small cans mandarin oranges, drained well

Mix buttermilk and puddings. Fold in Cool Whip, add oranges slices and cookie pieces. Chill and serve.

*Susie says not to add the cookie pieces until ready to serve. It keeps them crunchy, although she says this is still good the next day.

Oreo Cookie Salad

-1 (8oz) tub cool whip
-1 jar marshmallow fluff
-1 package oreo cookies, broken into pieces

Fold together and serve!

No Bakes

Gomez asks me to make these for her all the time! They're sooo good and they're the only cookies I make that don't require the oven!

2 1/2 cups sugar
4 tablespoons cocoa
(I use Hershey's)
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup whole milk
3 cups instant oatmeal
1 tablespoon peanut butter

Over medium heat, bring the first four ingredients to a rolling boil, stirring constantly. Cook one minute. DO NOT overcook after boil starts.

Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter. Add oats. Mix and then drop on wax paper by rounded teaspoon.

Let harden but then place in air-tight container as soon as possible. They should be shiny.

Ellie's Oatmeal Cookies

I make these cookies for Ellie. She LOVES them. I made them up after a frustrating quest for a cookie that she would like as a treat, and I could feel OK about giving her. Sure, they have butter and brown sugar, but I figure the fiber from the fruit and oatmeal help cancel that out a bit. :o) They bake up nice and high and are very cake-like. And I've been known to throw the first batch in the oven for Ellie, then add chocolate chips to the rest of the batter for me. They make a great breakfast.

This makes about 1 1/2 dozen good-sized cookies.

• 6 tbsp butter, room temp
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup natural applesauce -OR- mashed ripe banana
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups quick-cooking oats
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 375. In a small bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon. Beat butter and brown sugar together until blended. Add egg and beat until fluffy. Add applesauce and vanilla and blend. Add flour mixture in batches, mixing well after each addition. Stir in oats. Drop by tablespoons onto cookie sheets and bake for 8-10 minutes.

Grandma's Christmas Cookies

I make these cookies every year. I got the recipe for the sugar cookie from my Grandma Helen. The frosting recipe is one I saw on Food Network. These are a family favorite. Hope you enjoy them, too!

Cookies

1 cup butter, softened

1-2/3 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup sour cream

1/2 tsp. baking soda

5 cups flour

3 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. nutmeg

Cream together the butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time and mix well after each addition. Add the vanilla. Stir the baking soda into the sour cream. Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. Gradually add the flour mixture to the cream mixture. Alternate with the sour cream/baking soda mixture. Knead dough until it is ready to roll. Roll out dough to about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick and cut out with favorite cookie cutters. Place cookies on an ungreased baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.

Frosting

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 stick of butter, softened

3 cups confectioners' sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

2-3 TBSP milk

food coloring

Mix cream cheese and butter. Add the sugar 1/2 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the vanilla and milk. Add food color and decorate cookies.

Tip: I leave the cookies out for about 4 hours so that the icing can set.

Ritz Cracker Treats

My friend, Kirsty, has been after me to keep All In Flavor updated more regularly. She is a "regular" and even has us on an RSS feed. Thanks, Kirst! Unfortunately, she won't like this recipe at all. Apparently, we Americans are obsessed with peanut butter and the rest of the world doesn't understand it! Haha.

If you do like peanut butter, you will love these. I got the recipe from my sister and my mom and I made them together last year at Christmas. I made them again when I got home and they were a hit with my in-laws. So, they'll be on the list every year now. YUM!

1 package white chocolate chips

Ritz crackers

peanut butter

Melt white chocolate in a double boiler or in a glass bowl over hot water. Make peanut butter sandwiches with the Ritz crackers. Dip sandwiches in melted white chocolate and sprinkle with colored sugar or any kind of sprinkles you like. Place on cookie sheets lined with wax paper and refrigerate until chocolate firms. You can store at room temp or in the fridge.

I think Santa would be happy to see these after a ride down the chimney!

Double Chocolate Cherry Chunk Cookies

When I was growing up, chocolate covered cherries were considered a delicacy. We always got them on Valentine's Day, and in our stockings for Christmas. I've always considered the combination of chocolate and cherries a real treat. I've been looking for a cookie recipe and came across this one. I think it won second place on a Food Network competition. Anyway, I made them over the weekend. They're really rich and chocolatey; not too sweet, though. The wine brings out the flavor of both the chocolate and the cherries. I'll be adding these to my Christmas cookie list.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup good quality cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 stick butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup dry red wine
10 ounces dark chocolate, broken into chunks (I just used 2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips)
1 cup dried tart cherries

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Combine flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking soda in a bowl. In a bowl of an electric mixer, or with a handheld mixer, combine butter and sugars until fluffy. Add egg, vanilla, and wine and combine. Slowly in batches add the flour mixture until just combined. Fold in the chocolate and cherries. On a nonstick cookie sheet, place a heaping tablespoon of dough for each cookie about 2 inches apart from each other. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until tops are still soft looking but edges look firm.

Robby's Cookies

I make these for my brother and just shared with his girlfriend. :o) He's a big fan of oatmeal chocolate chip. I've modified the recipe to make it my own over the years. For one, I almost ALWAYS add extra vanilla in cookies with chocolate chips. It just tastes better. I also usually add extra flour to make sure I don't end up with a flat cookie. And, no raisins...! Don't get me wrong... raisins have their place in certain baked goods... but not in cookies. They'd just get in the way of a good time here. Hope you enjoy!

1 cup butter, softened to room temp
1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoons whole milk
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats (not instant)
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (at least)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cream butter, brown sugar and white sugar together.

Add vanilla, milk and eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Combine flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; add in batches to sugar mixture.
Mix well but do NOT overbeat.
Stir in oats and chocolate chips.
Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake 9-10 minutes. I like them a little under-baked.

Iced Pumpkin Cookies

I love all things pumpkin; so when a fellow Kindermusik mom busted these cookies out after class one night, I knew I had to have the recipe. I baked a big batch over the weekend and they were a hit. Really soft and cake-like. I will be making these again. The only thing I did differently from the recipe below was add the 1 tsp of pumpkin pie spice to the glaze. The original recipe does not all for it.

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Glaze:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons milk
1/2 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, and salt; set aside.

In a medium bowl, cream together the 1/2 cup of butter and white sugar. Add pumpkin, egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla to butter mixture, and beat until creamy. Mix in dry ingredients. Drop on cookie sheet by tablespoonfuls.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Cool cookies, then drizzle glaze with fork.

To Make Glaze: On the stovetop over low heat, combine confectioners' sugar, milk, butter, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice; stirring constantly until smooth. Add milk as needed, to achieve drizzling consistency.

Potato Chip Cookies

This recipe is from Grandma Maribel (Matt's maternal grandmother). She shared the recipe with me and these are a favorite in our household.

1 cup Crisco butter-flavored shortening
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 cups sifted flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups crushed potato chips
1 cup chopped pecans

Mix together the shortening, sugar, brown sugar and eggs until well combined. Then add remaining ingredients and mix well.

Place rounded tablespoon sized cookies on baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Fab Fudgy Cookies

The batter on these is very fudge-like. Then you pop the cookies in the oven and they become chewy with a really moist middle. I actually made them last night. Delish!

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 egg
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Melt the chips and butter in a double boiler. You may also melt in microwave but be careful not to burn! Set aside.

Beat egg and sugar with a mixer. When light and fluffy, beat in a salt and vanilla. Gradually beat in the slightly cooled chocolate.

Stir the flour and baking powder together, then add to the egg mixture and stir until mixed.
Batter won’t be stiff enough to use at this point.
Chill batter for about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Form batter into balls. Bake for 6-10 minutes. Best served warm. To reheat, just pop one in the microwave for a few seconds.