Sugar Cookies

This recipe is from Cindy Himes. I love it! Thanks for sharing, Cindy!

Cream together-

1 C shortening
1 cube butter
2 C sugar

Then add one at a time-

4 eggs

Mix in-

2t vanilla
2 t baking powder
2 t salt

Then add 1 cup at a time-

5 C flour

I use a wooden spoon to mix this together. It is ready when the dough becomes one big blob and all sticks together. Chill for at least 1 hour in refrigerator. Roll dough to 1/4-5/16 thick and cut into desired shapes. Bake at 400 degrees for 6-9 minutes. 6 minutes for small cookies and 9 minutes for bigger cookies. You do not want the edges to brown, so keep an eye on them. The cookies are fine if they are brown, but sooooo good if they are not because they stay softer.

Frosting for sugar cookies

I got this recipe from Cindy Himes, a girl who used to be in our ward. She has got cookie making down to a science and I just loved how her cookies tasted, so this is the best recipe I have found to date.

2/3 C butter
1 lb. bag of powdered sugar
2 t vanilla
3 T Milk-more or less

Butter should be at room temp. so it is easier to work with. Use electric mixer to mix butter & vanilla. Then add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time and beat. Add milk a tablespoon at a time to determine how much you need. Beat to desired consistency and then add food coloring.

I double this recipe for one batch of sugar cookies.

Rice Krispie Treats

I was getting tired of having extra marshmallows after making treats because all of the recipes I had called for only part of the bag. I altered a recipe so that I could use the whole bag.

Place in a large microwaveable bowl and microwave for 1 min:

8 T butter
1 16 oz. bag marshmallows

Remove and stir with wooden spoon. Put back in microwave for 30 seconds and stir again. Repeat this step until mixture is completely melted and combined.

Add and stir:

1 t vanilla
dash of salt

Then add and stir in:

10 C rice krispies

After mixed, pour into a 9x13 pan or like size. I use a folded piece of wax paper greased with butter or cooking spray to pat down the rice krispie treats into pan. Let sit for a couple hours so they can set up.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

This recipe was altered from one that I found on the back of a dried cranberry bag which was actually a recipe for white chocolate chip-cranberry cookies. I had been looking for a good recipe using only butter as the fat and when I tried these, they were so good. I will include the substitution for the white chocolate-cranberry cookies if you want to try those too.

Cream the following:

2/3 C butter, softened
1 1/2 C brown sugar, packed
2 T honey

Add and mix:

1 egg

Sprinkle on and mix well the following:

1/2 t baking soda
1 t vanilla
1/2 t salt

Stir in:

1/2 C regular oats

Mix one cup at a time:

2 C flour

Stir in:

1-1 1/2 C chocolate chips

Bake at 350* for 10 mins. or until golden brown.


For cranberry cookies, omit chocolate chips and replace with 1/2 t cinnamon, 3/4 C white chocolate chips, 1 C dried cranberries. Yum too!

Molasses Cookies

This recipe was given to me by my friend, Jessica Mortensen. She got it from her mother in law. Lance loves these and so do the rest of us. They are filled with oil and white flour-so not good for you- but the combo is too delicious to resist.

Blend together-I use my kitchenaid mixer:
1 1/2 C oil-I use canola
1/2 C molasses
2 C sugar
2 eggs

Then add and blend:
4 t baking soda
1 t salt
2 t cinnamon
1 t ginger
1 t cloves

Then add one cup at a time:
4 C Flour

Roll into 1" balls and roll in cinnamon sugar mixture. I place on a foil lined metal jelly roll pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 6-8 mins. Cookies should look like they are undercooked, so don't let them crack on top. I pull out of my oven at 5 mins. Let them continue to bake on the hot sheet and then finish on a rack. They taste best the next day after they have sat for awhile.