Oatmeal Banana Coconut Cookies

So the other day I needed to use up some banana's and didn't have chocolate chips handy to make my standby Oatmeal Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies (http://attempsatedible.blogspot.com/2013/02/banana-oatmeal-chocolate-chip-cookies.html)..so I improvised.  The result came out so well that the kids (and I, if I'm being honest)at the whole batch within 24 hours.  I figured that was worthy of a share here.

 

 

What you will need:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 brown sugar
• 3 very ripe bananas
• 3/4 cup softened salted butter
• 1 egg
• 1 3/4 cups quick-cooking oats
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut

Beat sugars with butter, cream until smooth and creamy, add in mashed bananas and egg in a large bowl. Sift together the dry ingredients, I just add it all to a bowl and stir it with a whisk. Pour into butter mixture, mix till combined and add in coconut. Drop by spoonfulls onto un-greased parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake 10 mins or until light brown at 400 degrees. Remove cool on wire rack, and enjoy!:)

The original Oatmeal Banana Chocolate Chip cookie recipe was from  www.momwhats4dinner.com. 
 

Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

My SIL made these when they came over one holiday and they earned their name.  They will be one of Cookie Monsters cookies at the upcoming birthday party my husband loved them so much.

The recipe and photo are straight off the package of Quaker Oats and can also be found here: http://www.quakeroats.com/cooking-and-recipes/content/recipes/recipe-detail.aspx?recipeid=474

Ingredients:

1/2  cup (1 stick) plus 6 tablespoons butter, softened

3/4  cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2  cup granulated sugar

2  eggs

1  teaspoon vanilla

1-1/2  cups all-purpose flour

1  teaspoon baking soda

1  teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2  teaspoon salt (optional)

3  cups Quaker® Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)

1  cup raisins

Preparation:

Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, beat butter and sugars on medium speed of electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well. Add oats and raisins; mix well.

 

Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Store tightly covered.

• Prep Time: 20 min
• Cook Time Time: 8 min

Variations:

Bar Cookies: Press dough onto bottom of ungreased 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars. Store tightly covered. 24 BARS.

VARIATIONS: Stir in 1 cup chopped nuts. Substitute 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips or candy-coated chocolate pieces for raisins; omit cinnamon. Substitute 1 cup diced dried mixed fruit. HIGH

ALTITUDE ADJUSTMENT: Increase flour to 1-3/4 cups and bake as directed.

Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Tried this one 2/25/13.  Delish!

This entire recipe is from the website shown above

What you will need:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 brown sugar
• 3 very ripe bananas
• 3/4 cup softened unsalted butter
• 1 egg
• 1 3/4 cups quick-cooking oats
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Beat sugars with butter, cream until smooth and creamy, add in mashed bananas and egg in a large bowl. Sift together the dry ingredients, I just add it all to a bowl and stir it with a whisk.Pour into butter mixture, mix till combined and add in chocolate chips. Drop by spoonfulls onto un-greased parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake 10 mins or until light brown at 400 degrees. Remove cool on wire rack, and enjoy!:)

Mint Chocolate Delights

I first found this recipe on a bag of Mint Chocolate Chips that I found at the Commissary. Yum! I'm c&p it from a place I found it online

(http://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/143925/mint-chocolate-delights/detail.aspx)

Mint Chocolate Delights

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Baking Cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoonvanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 2/3 cups (10-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Dark Chocolate & Mint Morsels

Directions

PREHEAT oven to 325° F.

COMBINE flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels. Drop by well-rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

BAKE for 11 to 13 minutes or until cookies are puffed and centers are set. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

FOR MINI MINT CHOCOLATE DELIGHT COOKIES: Prepare dough as above. Drop by well-rounded measuring teaspoon onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 9 to 10 minutes or until cookies are puffed and centers are set. Makes about 7 dozen mini cookies.

Peanut Butter Blossoms

(Image credit: http://www.une-vie-saine.com/2010/12/vegan-peanut-butter-blossoms.html)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

2 tbs milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1.75 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

Sugar (for rolling the PB balls)

48 unwrapped Hershey Kisses

Directions:

Heat oven to 375.

Cream together shortening, peanut butter, brown sugar and 1/2 cup sugar. Add egg, milk and vanilla. Beat well.

Stir together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to creamed mixture. Beat on low speed until stiff dough forms. Shape into 1-inch balls. Roll in sugar. Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Top each cookie immediately upon removal from oven with an unwrapped Hershey Kiss. Press firmly so that the cookie crackes around the edges. Remove cookie from cookie sheet to cool.

Makes: 4 dozen

Chewy Chocolate Cherry Oatmeal Cookies

Active time: 30 min

Total time: 1 hr 10 min

Yield: 48 cookies

Ingredients:

1.5 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1 cup butter, room temp

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

3 cups old fashioned rolled oats

1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

1 cup dried cherries

Directions:

1) Heat oven to 350. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda , cinnamon, salt and nutmeg.

2) Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, then vanilla.

3) Reduce speed of mixer and gradually mix in flour mixture until just combined.

4) Using a large spoon, fold in oats, chocolate chips and cherries.

5) Drop rounded spoonfuls on cookie sheet, 2 inches apart.

6) Bake cookies for 12-14 minutes, rotating halfway through. Let cool a few minutes on pan before transferring to cooling rack.

(Image and recipe credit to www.womansday.com)

Thick & Soft Sugar Cookies

These sugar cookies are similar to the Lofthouse sugar cookies you get at the grocery store. They start out with a box of cake mix - which isnt usually on my grocery list but I happened to have a box in the pantry from a while back so I figured I would try them. The recipe said to make sure you use the kind with pudding in the mix as that helps with the softness. They turned out really, really good. I loved the texture of these - they are so soft - and they stay that way for several days too.





The frosting on the storebought version of these cookies is never great in my opinion, so using a homemade buttercream frosting adds a special touch. You can decorate these however you want - they would be really cute for Halloween if you tinted the frosting orange and used some black sprinkles or nonpareils.




Soft and Thick Sugar Cookies
Recipe adapted from Noshings

Cookies:
1 18 oz box white cake mix with pudding in the mix
2/3 cup flour
2 large eggs
1/3 cup canola oil
2 T sour cream (I used reduced fat)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, stir together cake mix and flour. Add eggs, oil and sour cream and mix on medium speed until incorporated. Batter will be fairly stiff. Use a cookie scoop or roll into approximately one inch balls and bake on a baking sheet lined with a Silpat or parchment paper. This will help keep the bottoms of the cookies from browning. Use the heel of your hand or a glass dusted with sugar to gently flatten cookies to about a half inch thick. You don't want the bottoms to be browned or you've overbaked these. Bake approximately ten minutes until just set. Let cool about one minute on the pan and then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Frosting:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 T heavy cream
1 T vanilla extract
3-4 cups powdered sugar
1 T meringue powder
Food coloring or sprinkles as desired

Beat butter on medium speed for about two minutes until smooth. Add cream and vanilla and beat about one more minute to incorporate. Add sugar, one cup at a time mixing on low speed until incorporated until you reach the desired consistency. Add meringue powder (this will help your frosting crust so that you can stack the cookies without smearing your frosting all over the place, I use a sheet of wax or parchment paper in between layers). You want the frosting to be fairly stiff so that it doesnt run off your cookies. Frost cooled cookies and decorate as desired. Store cookies in an airtight container.

Becky's Hershey & PB Cookies

48 HERSHEY'S KISSES Brand Milk Chocolates
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup REESE'S Creamy Peanut Butter
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Granulated sugar


Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Remove wrappers from chocolates.

2. Beat shortening and peanut butter in large bowl until well blended. Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture.

3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet.

4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press a chocolate into center of each cookie; cookie will crack around edges. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. About 4 dozen cookies.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2.5 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1.5 tsp vanilla
12 oz (2 cups, 1 package) chocolate chips

Oven @ 375.

Stir together flour, soda and salt. In a mixer beat butter and shortening on medium for 30 seconds. Add sugars and beat until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, beat well. Add dry ingredients to beaten mixture, beating until well combined. Stir in choc chips.

Drop from a teaspoon two inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes or until golden. Remove and cool.

Makes about 72 cookies.

Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

2.5 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 cup sugar
2/3 butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup mashed bananas
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 400. Grease cookie sheets. Mix flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda together. Set aside.

Cream the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Mix in the mashed bananas. Add the flour mixture, and stir until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Drop by spoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake in preheated oven for 12-15 mins.

Brown Sugar Biggies

Recipe from my Mom

1 cup soft butter

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 egg

2 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

1/4 tsp baking powder

In a large bowl beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour until a stiff dough forms. Chill dough 3-4 hours.

Preheat oven to 350. Roll dough into 1" balls. Roll in sugar and flatten on a greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 for 12-15 mins.

Fudge Crackle Cookies

Recipe from my Mom.

Mix 2 cups flour and 2 tsp baking powder.

In a saucepan, heat until melted 1/2 cup butter and 6 oz semisweet chocolate (can sub 18 tbsp cocoa and 6 tbsp oil). Stir in 2 cups flour plus 6 tbsp sugar, 4 eggs, 2 tsp vanilla and 1 cup nuts (optional). Add initial flour mixture.

Chill 3-4 hours in refrigerator (can keep in fridge up to a week).

Roll into 1" balls. Roll in sugar. Place 2" apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 10-12 mins, until cracked and firm

Peanut Blossoms

A recipe from my Mom.

1.75 cup flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup peanut butter

2 tbsp milk

1 tsp vanilla

1 egg

Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup. Level off. Combine all ingredients in a large mixer bowl. Mix at low speed until a dough forms. Shape dough into balls, using a rounded teaspoonful of dough. Roll balls in additional sugar. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet (you can cross with a fork if desired, as pictured).

Bake at 375 for 10-12 mins until golden brown. Remove from oven. If you'd like you can top with a hershey's kiss when they are hot out of the oven. Makes about 48 cookies.

Joe Froggers

One of my Mothers recipes.

1 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
1 tbsp salt
1 cup water
2 tsp baking soda
2 cups molasses
7 cups flour
1 tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp allspice

Cream shortening and sugar until light and creamy. Combine salt, water, baking soda & molasses. Sift flour with spices and add alternately with liquid to creamed shortening. Stir well between additions. Dough should be sticky. Chill 3-4 hours (dough can be kept covered in fridge for up to a week).

Preheat oven to 375. Flour the counter and rolling pin liberally, as well as anything else that will come in contact with the dough. Dough is very sticky. On a floured surface roll dough to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut with a large cookie cutter. These make great gingerbread men but also do well as a circular cookie.

Bake on ungreased cookie sheet for 10-12 mins or until edges are done. Let cool on a pan for 1 minute, then remove to cooling rack.

Cookies will keep well in the freezer for a couple of months. If storing at room temperature, keep a slice of bread with them to keep them moist.