Snickerdoodle Fruit Dessert

A couple of years ago I was invited to join a bunco group that had been put together by a few of the PTA moms at Westside.  This has led me to happy associations and friendships with many of the parents of the students at my school. I have come home with fun prizes, (we all win something every month) but even better are the recipes I've gathered including this dessert served by my friend Heather at a fun bunco night last spring.

• Make your favorite snickerdoodle recipe ***see mine below***
• Slice some strawberries and add fresh blueberries (could also add fresh raspberries)
• Slice a lemon and squeeze fresh juice over the top of the fruit, sprinkle with a little sugar, toss
• Whip some cream and sweeten with powdered sugar

To assemble:  Place snickerdoodle on plate, top with fresh fruit, add a dollop of whipped cream

SOFT SNICKERDOODLES:
1 c. butter
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 3/4 c. flour
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
* In a small bowl, mix 3 T. sugar with 1 tsp. cinnamon

Cream butter and sugar.  Add eggs and mix well.  Combine flour, cream of tartar, soda and salt.  Mix wet ingredients with dry ingredients. Roll dough in 1 inch balls and roll in cinnamon/sugar mixture. Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Jam Thumbprints

I pulled this recipe from the obscurity of my recipe box last week.  I love the nuts that roast on the edges as the cookie bakes. 

1 stick real butter
1/2 c. sugar
2 large eggs, separated
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 c. flour
1 cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)
1/2 cup jam (I use apricot & raspberry)

Cream butter until fluffy.  Add sugar and mix again.  Separate eggs, set aside the whites.  Beat the yolks in with the creamed mixture and add the vanilla.  Finally, mix in the flour until the dough comes together in a ball.  Place chopped nuts in a bowl and the egg whites in another bowl.  Roll the cookie dough in to small 1 inch balls.  Roll each ball in the beaten egg whites and then in the nuts.  Place on cookie sheet and make a small indentation on the top of each cookie with your thumb.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes.  Cool cookies then place a teaspoon of jam in the indentation of each cookie. 

Lemon Meltaway Cookies

These cookies have legitimate lemon flavor from the fresh zest and they melt-in-your-mouth!  The lightly sweet cookie, topped with creamy sweet frosting is the perfect combination. 

 

 1 1/2 c. flour

1/2 c. cornstarch

1/3 c. powdered sugar

1/8 tsp. salt

3/4 c. butter, softened

2 T. fresh lemon juice

2 T. grated lemon zest

 

Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, powdered sugar, and salt.  In a different bowl cream the butter, add the lemon juice and zest and mix well.  Add the dry ingredients and mix well.  Divide the dough in half and form each in to a log.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.  When ready to bake, slice the log in 1/4 inch slices and place on cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.  Cool and frost. 

 

Lemon Frosting:  Mix 1 cup powdered sugar, 1/4 c. butter and 2 teaspoons lemon juice until light and fluffy.  Frost each cookie with a dollop of frosting. 

Apricot Oat Granola Bars

I was in charge of making a nutritious snack to eat on our hike at Heber Valley Camp this summer.  Some of my young women helped me throw these together a couple of days before we left.  They were SO GOOD and stayed soft for several days. 

 

Ingredients:
1 3/4 c. flour
1 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1 3/4 c. oatmeal (not instant)
1 c. walnuts, chopped
1 cup butter, melted
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
8 dried apricots, chopped in to small pieces
1 1/4 c. apricot preserves

In a small bowl, mix together the preserves and chopped apricots, set aside.  In another bowl, mix the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, soda, oatmeal, and walnuts.  Add the butter, egg, and vanilla and stir until incorporated.  Lightly grease a 13x9 pan and line with parchment paper.  Lightly press 1/2 of the oatmeal mixture in to the bottom of the pan.  Pour the apricot mixture on top and spread around, avoiding the edges.  Place dollops of the remaining oatmeal mixture all of the top and lightly press to flatten.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Cool at least an hour before cutting.  Store bars in an airtight container. 

Easy Peasy Chocolate Chip Cookies

My friend Jenny shared an idea for the easiest (and most delicious) chocolate chip cookies. It starts with a Betty Crocker Mix, but don't even think about looking on the back of the bag for instructions, just do this...

Dump 1 bag Betty Crocker Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix (about $1.50 at the grocery store) into a bowl. Throw in 1 cube softened butter, 1 egg and 1 cup oatmeal. Mix with hand or electric mixer until well mixed. Bake at 350 degrees for about 7-9 minutes (7-8 if you like them a little on the doughy/soft side and 8-9 if you like them crispy on the edges and soft in the middle).

***TIP: I love to throw in a handful of M&M's (those little baking ones are my favorite) OR I also like to add dried cranberries or dried cherries and pretend like it makes them healthy!

Here's a quick pick of the mix I use....and the dried cherries, YUM!

Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

My friend Janet gave me a Mapleton Ward Cookbook for Christmas and I've just loved it. There are so many fabulous recipes. My picture here didn't turn out great, but the cookies did. Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, just the way I like em!



1 c. butter, softened
1 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 c. granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
5 c. Quaker Oats
2 c. Craisins (soak them for 20 minutes in warm water to plump them, drain)
2 c. chopped nuts (I have used either pecans or walnuts)

Mix softened butter with both kinds of sugar and beat well. Add the eggs and vanilla. Mix the flour and soda together and add it to the creamed mixture and beat again. Stir in oats, pecans, and drained craisins. Drop by spoonful onto a cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Macaroon Butter Cookies

Warning: you could gain weight just from LOOKING at these cookies. They are super rich, but entirely delicious. Next time I will make them just a tad smaller.

*

1 c. butter

1 c. powdered sugar

1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla

2 c. flour

*

Beat butter still fluffy. Add powdered sugar, salt and vanilla. Mix well, then add flour a little at a time. Cover and chill dough for 8 hours. Shape in to small balls and place on cookie sheet. Press finger in to the top of each ball making an indentation. Bake at 350 for about 12-15 minutes. Spoon filling in to the top of each cookie while warm. Cool, then drizzle with chocolate frosting.

*

FILLING:

6 oz. cream cheese, softened

2 c. powdered sugar

1/4 c. flour

2 tsp. vanilla

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 c. sweetened coconut

Mix cream cheese and powdered sugar. stir in flour, add rest of ingredients and mix well.

*

1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/4 c. butter

1/4 c. water

1 c. powdered sugar

Microwave the chips, butter and water for about one minute. Stir until smooth and melted. Stir in powdered sugar. Drizzle over cooled cookies.

Fudgy Brownie Bites

These brownie bites are so easy to make. The texture is smoother and more spongy than a regular brownie, but they are still delicious.


1 small box chocolate pudding
2 cups milk
1 chocolate cake mix
1 cup chocolate chips

Mix the pudding and milk in a mixing bowl. Stir and allow to sit until thickened. Stir in dry cake mix and mix well. Fold in chocolate chips. Pour in a greased 13x9 pan and bake at 350 for about 25-30 minutes or until center is set.

Easy Oat Squares

This is the EASIEST recipe and so yummy. These caused me to cheat on my diet several times this week. You can use any kind of jam (apricot, raspberry, strawberry, etc.) I used my homemade strawberry preserves for this batch.


1 box white or yellow cake mix (I used French Vanilla)
2 cups oatmeal
3/4 c. butter, melted
1 bottle jam (any flavor)

Mix cake mix and oatmeal together. Stir in melted butter until well combined. Press half of the mixture on the bottom of a greased 13x9 cake pan. Spread jam all over the top (thin the jam with a teaspoon or two of water if it is really thick). Spread rest of crumb mixture all over the top and pat down. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Cool and cut into squares.

Cookie Pizza

I collect Ward Cookbooks and my friends and family know that nothing makes me happier! I needed to take a dessert to a BBQ the other night, but was so tired of the same old thing. Found this recipe in an old ward cookbook and it turned out PERFECT! The cookie was soft and delicious and it made enough to feed a crowd with some leftover.


1 1/2 c. brown sugar
1 c. shortening
2 eggs
2 T. water
2 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 c flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups Reese's Peanut Butter Chips
1-2 cups marshmallows
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup mini M&M's


Beat brown sugar and shortening. Add egg, water and vanilla, mix well. Add flour, baking soda and salt, mix again. Stir in peanut butter chips. Spray a 13" pizza pan with nonstick cooking spray. Spread dough around evenly on bottom to form a crust. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15-20 or until top is golden brown. Remove from oven. Sprinkle marshmallows, chocolate chips and M&M's on top. Return to oven for 5 minutes until melted. Can drizzle melted white chocolate or chocolate syrup on top after it has cooled.

Banana Oat Cookies

These cookies are soft, moist and stay that way for several days when stored in a covered container. The original recipe called for raisins, but chocolate chips are a great substitute.

1 c. shortening
1 c. sugar
1/4 c. honey
2 eggs
2 c. flour
3 c. oats
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
3 smashed ripe bananas
1 c. chocolate chips
2 c. butterscotch chips (optional) - if you omit them, add more chocolate chips

Cream shortening, sugar and honey Add eggs and bananas. Combine the flour, soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture. Stir in the oatmeal, then the chocolate and butterscotch chips. Stir until just combined. Drop by spoonfuls onto lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for about 12 minutes or until lightly browned.

Chocolate Revel Bars

These are so delicious, but very rich. Cut them in small squares and serve with a glass of milk. The kids enjoyed these on Superbowl Sunday.

1 c. butter, softened
2 c. brown sugar, packed
2 eggs, beaten
1 T. vanilla
2 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
3 c. quick cook rolled oats
1 c. chopped pecans (optional)

Cream the butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix in flour, salt and baking soda. Stir in rolled oats. Press 2/3 of oat mixture in to the bottom of a greased 13x9 pan to create crust. Spread chocolate topping over the top. Drop the remaining dough by spoonfuls on top of the chocolate topping. Sprinkle with nuts. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes until golden. Cool and slice.

Topping:

1 (12 oz.) pkg. semi sweet chocolate chips
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 c. butter
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt

Combine all ingredients in saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring until chocolate has melted.

Swedish Rosettes

Shirlene made these and brought them over one morning. They look beautiful and taste delicious. My kids compared them to carnival funnel cakes.


Batter
2 large eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup unsifted flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, combine eggs and milk. With fork or wire whisk, mix well. Stir in flour, sugar and vanilla extract; blend until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate one hour or overnight.

In a 5-quart Dutch oven, heat 2 quarts vegetable oil to 365 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Attach selected iron to handle. Dip iron into hot oil for 15 seconds; drain slightly on paper towel. Dip lower part of hot iron into batter, letting excess drip back into bowl. (Do not get batter on top of iron.)

Dip iron into hot oil; as batter becomes cooked, it will loosen and drop into oil. Cook until golden on one side; turn and cook on other side. Repeat. As pastries turn golden, remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

Pastries may be sprinkled with confectioners' sugar or cinnamon-sugar. Tart shells may be filled with sweet or savory fillings.

Here is a picture of a Swedish Rosette Cooking Set. You can buy them on E-bay and Amazon.

Soft Sugar Cookies

I've tried about a hundred and one recipes and this one is the best! The cookies come out puffy and soft and stay that way for 2-3 days. I also love that you don't have to refrigerate the dough for hours. Just mix, roll out and start cutting shapes. Perfect for impatient kids like mine.

2 squares margarine (softened)
1 cup (8 oz.) vanilla yogurt
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 c. sugar
6 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Combine the margarine, yogurt, eggs, vanilla and sugar. Beat for 2 minutes with an electric mixer. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients, then add to the creamed mixture. Mix well. Gather dough and divide into two balls. Roll out, cut into shapes and bake @ 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.

***TIPS***

Thickness:
When rolling out the dough, don't roll it too thin or the cookies will turn out crunchy and hard. I would say that it should be about as thick as a book of checks (that's the best comparison I can think of). Opt on the side of thickness rather than thinness :0)

Cooking Time:
Check on the cookies often and take them out as soon as they look puffy, loose their shine and get just a tiny, tiny, bit browned. If you let them get too brown, they will be crunchy. If the middle of each cookie looks shiny when you take them out, they will be too doughy.

Rolling Out:
I roll out my dough on a piece of plastic wrap and then just sprinkle a little bit of flour on top to keep my rolling pin from sticking. When you cut the cookies, they come right off the plastic wrap. Plus, it keeps your counter from getting messy and your cookies stay tender because they don't get too much flour rolled in.

Dr. Egan's Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 c. sugar
1 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
1 c. butter
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. vanilla
3 c. oatmeal
2 1/4 c. flour
2-3 cups chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla. Add all dry ingredients except oatmeal. Blend in oatmeal. Stir in chocolate chips. Bake at 350 degrees until lightly golden brown.

Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is our staple CCC recipe. The vanilla pudding in the batter makes them soft and chewy on the inside and crispy on edges. Perfect!

1 1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. white sugar
1 c. brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs
1 small pkg. vanilla instant pudding
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
3 cups chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups chopped nuts (optional) OR 1 1/2 cups mini or regular sized M&M's

Cream butter and sugars. Add vanilla and eggs, mix well. Add dry pudding and mix well. Add dry ingredients and beat until combined (batter will be stiff). Stir in chocolate and nuts. Scoop onto cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 9-12 minutes (cook them less if you like them super soft and longer if you like them a little crispier on the outside).

Homemade Eclairs

I have been making cream puffs since I was a teenager. It's really fun and easy. You can fill them with pudding for a great eclair, but you can also fill them with chicken salad.

Cream Puffs:

In a small saucepan, bring to a boil:

1 cube butter

1 cup water

1/8 tsp. salt

Once boiling, add: 1 cup flour

Stir until the mixture forms a big smooth ball. Remove from heat and cool 10 minutes.

One at a time, whip in 4 eggs until mixture is smooth and creamy.

Place by teaspoonful onto a cookie sheet and bake at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes until well browned. Cool.

Filling:

1 small package vanilla or chocolate pudding

2 cups cool whip or real whipping cream (whipped and sweetened)

Make pudding according to package directions. Fold in cool whip. Fill cream puffs

Chocolate Fudge Topping:

1/4 c. butter

3-4 T. milk

2-3 T. cocoa powder

2 cups powdered sugar

Melt butter, milk and cocoa powder in saucepan. When it begins to boil, remove from heat and beat in powdered sugar with a whisk. If it is too thin, add more powdered sugar, too thick, add more milk. Drizzle over cream puffs.

P. Butter Puff Rice Squares

This is a classic school lunch recipe. Lately, my sisters and I have been having a hard time finding the puff rice. The only kind we can find comes in bags (not boxes) in the cereal section.

3 cups Karo syrup
3 cups sugar

Microwave this mixture on high for 3 minutes. Stir up, then microwave for 3 minutes more.

Add 3 cups peanut butter and mix well.

Pour over a big bowl of puffed rice and stir to coat. I use one of those huge Tupperware bowls and start out with less puff rice than I think I'll need. I gradually add more and stir until it is all well coated, but not too sticky. Press the soft mixture into a large cookie sheet. Cut into squares to serve.

No Bake Cookies

This is my all-time favorite cookie recipe! I've been making these since I was a little girl. Now my kids have taken over and I beg them to make me No Bake Cookies.

2 cups sugar
3 T. cocoa powder
1/2 cup milk
1 cube butter
1 tsp. vanilla
pinch of salt

Bring to a boil in a saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil that can't be stirred down and boil 1 minute. Then add:

1/2 cup peanut butter
3 cups oatmeal

Mix and drop onto waxed paper. Cool until set.

Homemade Oreo Cookies

I've been making this recipe since I was a tween. I use to make these and take them to drill team practice. The other girls would bug me, "when are you bringing us those oreo cookies again?"

2 boxes devils food cake mix
4 eggs
2/3 cup oil

Mix all ingredients. It may seem dry, but keep mixing. Form into small round balls (very small!). Bake at 350 degrees for 9 minutes. Take cookie sheet out of oven and then drop it on the counter to flatten down the cookies. Cool on a wire rack.

While cookies are baking and cooling, make filling:

1/2 c. cream cheese
2 T. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar

When cookies are cool, frost the bottom of one cookie, then press together with another cookie.