Chewy Sugar Cookies

These are gooey, chewy, soft sugar cookies that melt in your mouth! I got the recipe from Better Homes and Gardens' cookbook, Celebrating the Promise; Limited Edition.

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 to 1/3 cup sugar for coating

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for about 30 seconds. Add the 1 1/2 cups sugar, beat until combined. Beat in eggs, cream of tartar, baking soda, vanilla, and salt until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the electric mixer and stir the rest in by hand, mixing well. Divide and wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.

2. Preheat oven to 375ºF. Shape small portions into 1-inch balls. Roll each ball in enough sugar to coat. Place balls on cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.

3. Bake 10-12 minutes until very light brown, rapping the sheet hard a couple of times throughout the cooking process to make the cookies fall. When cooked, let cool on the sheet for about 2 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. 

Chocolate Florentine Cookies

You know those little recipe books you can buy in the checkout line at the grocery store? Well, I guess I bought one some time ago and tore this recipe out of it.

Ingredients:

2/3 cup unsalted butter
2 cups quick oats
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup light or dark corn syrup
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cup Nestlé® Toll House® Chocolate Morsels (Milk Chocolate or Semi-Sweet)

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Line baking sheets with foil.

Melt butter in a medium saucepan; remove from heat and stir in oats, sugar, flour, corn syrup, milk, vanilla, and salt. Drop by level teaspoons, about 3 inches apart, onto prepared baking sheets. Spread a little with a rubber spatula to thin out. 

Bake for 6-8 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely (this is crucial) on baking sheet on wire racks. Then peel foil from cookies. (The cookies WILL stick unless they are allowed to cool completely, about 30 minutes)

Meanwhile, microwave morsels in medium, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on Medium-High power for 1 minute. Stir until all are melted and incorporated- they will melt together. If necessary, microwave an additional 10- to 15- seconds. Stir until morsels are melted. Spread a thin layer of melted chocolate onto flat side of half the cooled cookies. Top with remaining cookies.

Makes about 3 dozen sandwich cookies.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Ingredients:

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups quick cooking oats
1 cup raisins
chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F degrees.
2. In a mixing bowl beat butter on medium high speed for 30 seconds. Add both sugars, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cloves. Beat until combined scraping sides of bowl. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer, and stir in the remaining flour by hand. Stir in oats. Add raisins and, if desire, nuts.
3. Drop dough by rounded tablespoons about two inches apart on cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Rap the sheet on the counter to knock out air bubbles.
4. Transfer to a wire rack to let cool.

Makes about 20- 24 cookies.