White chocolate chip and dried cranberry oatmeal cookies

I have the most delectable cookie recipe! It's one that I have been making often and the family loves them. I wish I had a picture to show you, as so many cooking blogs do...but I don't.  You will have to take my word that these are amazing!

If I make them again soon, I will update this post with a picture....but until then...just trust me!


The Recipe:

1 cup softened butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups white chocolate chips
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup whole oats or quick oats, whichever you have in your pantry

~Preheat oven to 375 degrees, grease some cookie sheets
~Cream the butter, add sugars gradually.
~Add eggs and vanilla to butter/sugar mixture, beat until fully combined
~Combine the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
~Add flour mixture to butter/sugar/egg mixture, mix thoroughly.
~Add white chocolate chips, cranberries and oats, mix well.

~Drop by teaspoonfuls on cookie sheets about 2 inches apart.
~Bake for 6-7 minutes...Here's the important part: these will not look cooked when you remove them from the oven....they might even still look a bit glistening in the middle...but they are cooked enough!! Just trust me on this one...you want to under cook them so they will be soft cookies...makes all the difference in the world and there is nothing like a soft cookie!! Using a spatula, carefully put them on a cooking rack...and enjoy a couple when they are still warm...although, they are just as delectable when they are cold in the cookie jar...I can barely restrain myself!!

Yield about 70 cookies (unless you make them a bit bigger or a bit smaller)

Confession: These are just a classic chocolate chip cookie recipe that has been modified by me....if you take away the white chips, dried cranberries and oatmeal, and add the semi-sweet chips, you have the basic dough for toll house cookies....but, there is something to be said about white chocolate...

Chewy Ginger Snaps

You gotta try these! They are wonderful and very, very easy!

Chewy Ginger Snaps

3/4 cup oil
1/4 cup molasses (use same cup you measured oil and the molasses just slips out!)
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons ginger
1/2 cup granulated sugar to roll cookie dough in before baking.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

~In a large bowl, combine oil, molasses, brown sugar, and egg.
~Add flour, baking soda, salt, cloves, cinnamon and ginger.
~mix well

Put extra 1/2 cup of granulated sugar into a small bowl. Roll dough into 1" balls and roll each ball in the sugar. Place sugared balls 2 inches apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake for 8 minutes or until slightly golden brown.

Makes 2-1/2 dozen amazing cookies! They are soft and chewy...so good! Perfect for fall enjoyment!!

Grandma Josephine's Italian anise cookies

~3 eggs
~1/3 cup shortening or butter(softened)
~1/2 cup sugar
~2 cups flour
~3 teaspoons baking powder
~1/2 salt
~2 teaspoons anise extract

*Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
*Beat together eggs, shortening and sugar.
*Add extract and dry ingredients
*Place teaspoon sized scoops onto an ungreased cookie sheet about 1 inch apart.
*Bake in preheated oven for 7-8 minutes. Remove and cool on racks.

Glaze with the following:

1 cup confectionary sugar, 1/4 teaspoon anise extract, 1-3 Tablespoons hot water.

I make this glaze very runny so I can just dip each cookie top into it and let the excess run off...let dry on waxed paper.