Raspberry Nut Pinwheels

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam (We used more)
3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts (Again... more :)

Directions:
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine flour and baking powder; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.
Roll out dough between waxed paper into a 12-in. square. Remove top piece of waxed paper. Spread dough with jam and sprinkle with nuts. Roll up tightly jelly-roll style; wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm.
Unwrap dough and cut into 1/4-in. slices. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375° for 9-12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Makes about 3-1/2 dozen.

Recipe Courtesy: www.tasteofhome.com

Peppermint Meltaways

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch

FROSTING:
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 to 3 drops red food coloring, optional
1/2 cup crushed peppermint candies

Directions:
In a small bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in extract. Combine flour and cornstarch; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.
Shape into 1-in. balls. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.
In a small bowl, beat butter until fluffy. Add the confectioners’ sugar, milk, extract and food coloring if desired; beat until smooth. Spread over cooled cookies; sprinkle with crushed candies. Store in an airtight container.

Makes about 4 dozen.

Recipe Courtesy: www.tasteofhome.com

Caramel Chocolate Surprise Crinkles

We enjoyed making and eating these! The girls were a great help unwrapping
the Hershey Caramel Kisses and hiding them in the cookie balls.

Ingredients
1 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1-1/2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
4-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 packages (13.3 ounces each) fun-size Milky Way candy bar (We used Hershey caramel Kisses)

Optional coating (We wanted them to have a more "crinkle" look)
Sifted confectioners sugar
Cinnamon
Unsweetened cocoa powder

Directions:
In a large bowl, cream the shortening, butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well.
Roll into 1-1/2-in. balls. Cut each candy bar into fourths; push one portion into the center of each ball, completely covering candy with dough.

Optional: Roll the balls in sugar, cinnamon, cocoa miniature. This gave them a more marbles crinkle look. They tasted a bit like Mexican Hot coco mix. Yummy!! We will surely make again!

Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets.
Bake at 350° for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown and surface cracks. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Makes about 9 dozen.

Recipe Courtesy: www.tasteofhome.com

Lime White Chocolate Cookies

My favorite!

Ingredients:
Cookie
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 Egg
3 tablespoons limeade concentrate, thawed
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 (3-ounce) bars white chocolate, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
(I use white chocolate chips)

Glaze
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
4 to 5 tablespoons limeade concentrate, thawed
2 tablespoons freshly grated lime zest

Directions
Heat oven to 350°F. Combine butter, sugar, brown sugar, egg and limeade concentrate in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Reduce speed to low; add flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt. Beat until well mixed. Stir in white chocolate.

Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls, 2 inches apart, onto greased cookie sheets. Bake for 9 to 12 minutes or until light golden brown. (Don't over cook, I usually take them out at 9 minutes) Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets. Cool completely.

Combine powdered sugar and enough limeade concentrate for desired glazing consistency. Top each cookie with 1/2 teaspoon glaze; sprinkle with lime zest.

Makes about 3 dozen. ( I always double or triple this recipe since it is my FAVORITE!)

Recipe Courtesy: www.landolakes.com

Chocolate Caramel Thumbprint Cookies

Ingredients:
Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 Crisco® Butter Shortening Sticks, cut into slices OR 1 cup Crisco® Butter Shortening
3 large eggs, separated
2 tablespoons water
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose Flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups finely chopped pecans
1 cup Smucker's® Caramel Spoonable Ice Cream Topping

Directions:
1. HEAT oven to 350 degrees F. Adjust rack to middle position. Coat two cookie sheets lightly with no-stick cooking spray.

2. BEAT brown sugar and shortening in medium bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed for 2 minutes or until fluffy. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add egg yolks, water, vanilla and salt. Beat until well combined. Add flour and cocoa on low speed until well blended.

3. BEAT egg whites in a shallow bowl until foamy. Place pecans in a separate shallow bowl. Measure about 2 teaspoons dough for each cookie. Form into balls by rolling between your palms. Dip each dough ball into egg whites, then roll into pecans. Place on prepared cookie sheet. Using the back of a teaspoon or your thumb, make a rounded indentation in the top of each cookie.

4. BAKE 10 minutes. Remove from oven. It may be necessary to create the indentation once again with a spoon. Place about 1 teaspoon caramel topping into the indentation of each cookie. Bake an additional 5 to 7 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for several minutes. Remove to cooling rack to cool completely.

Makes about 4 dozen.

Recipe Courtesy: www.foodnetwork.com

Andes Chocolate Mint Cookies

Soft and Chewy with a chocolate mint glaze.
The girls had fun unwrapping the mints and swirling them around after they melted.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 tablespoons water
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 (4.5 ounce) packages chocolate covered thin mints

Directions:
In a saucepan over medium heat, cook the sugar, butter and water, stirring occasionally until melted. Remove from heat, stir in the chocolate chips until melted and set aside to cool for 10 minutes.

Pour the chocolate mixture into a large bowl, and beat in the eggs, one at a time. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt, stir into the chocolate mixture. Cover and refrigerate dough for at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. Roll cookie dough into walnut sized balls and place 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, be careful not to overbake. When cookies come out of the oven, Press one mint wafer into the top of each cookie and let sit for less then a minute. When the mint is softened, swirl with the back of a spoon or toothpick to make a pattern with the green filling of the mint wafer. For smaller cookies, break mints in half.

(I just found in the store AFTER we made these Andes mini morsels!)

Makes about 3 to 4 dozen.

Recipe Courtesy: Allrecipes.com

Chewy Hazelnut Crinkels

One of my favorites! Soft and Chewy Nutella Hazelnut flavor!

Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (11 ounce) jar Nutella
1/4 cup shortening
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup chopped, toasted hazelnuts (optional)
2 cups finely chopped hazelnuts, divided (optional)
Sifted confectioners sugar

Directions:
Stir together flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.

Combine Nutella and shortening in a large mixing bowl; beat with electric mixer on medium to high speed until combined. Add sugar; beat on medium speed until fluffy. Add vanilla extract and eggs; beat just until combined.

Alternately add flour mixture and milk to creamed mixture, beating on medium speed just until combined. Use a spoon to stir in 1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts. (optional) Cover and chill for several hours or until firm.

Heat oven to 375 degrees F.

Shape the dough into 1- or 1 1/2-inch balls. Roll the balls in finely chopped hazelnuts (optional), then roll in confectioners sugar. Place the balls 2 inches apart on a lightly greased cookie sheet. (The cookies will spread and crinkle as they bake.)

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until surface is cracked and cookies are set. Cool cookies on a wire rack.

Makes about 6 dozen.

Recipe Courtesy: I think "Taste of Home". We have made them for a few years now. :)