Easy Cookie Recipes

I thought I’d share some of my favorite cookie recipes with you today. They make great after-school snacks, quick and inexpensive desserts and of course they are perfect with a cup of coffee any time of the day.

Don’t tell anyone, but I had a sugar cookie for breakfast this morning with my coffee.

Ready to get baking?

#1 Preacher Cookies 

• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup margarine (1 stick) or 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
• Dash salt
• 1/4 cup peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups rolled oats

First take out a nice 2-quart saucepan. In it combine the sugar, cocoa, milk and margarine. Cook and stir the mixture over medium heat until the margarine melts, and the sugar dissolves. Bring the pot to a boil, and reduce the heat slightly. Simmer the mixture for several minutes, until the chocolate forms a soft ball when dropped into a bowl of cold water. This is about 234° on a candy thermometer. Remove the pan from the heat when it reaches the soft ball stage. Add the salt, peanut butter and vanilla. Stir until the peanut butter is dissolved. Finally stir in the oatmeal. The mixture may seem a little runny, but will thicken up as it cools. Drop the mixture from a tablespoon onto a sheet of waxed paper. It should form medium sized cookies. Depending on the size of the cookie, you may end up with as few as 15 or as many as 24.

#2 Quick Sugar Cookies 

• 1/2 cup soft margarine or shortening
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 medium egg
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon almond flavoring (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1-1/2 cups flour

In a medium sized bowl cream together the margarine or shortening and sugar. Beat it until it is smooth and fluffy. Add the egg, milk and vanilla, mixing well. Stir in the salt, baking powder and flour. Blend it all up until it makes a nice smooth dough. Drop the mixture by small spoonfuls onto an oiled cookie sheet. Bake at 375° for about 8 to 10 minutes.

#3 Monster Christmas Cookies 

• 1 1/3 C. Peanut Butter
• 1 C. Quick Cooking Oats
• 4 T. Vegetable Oil
• 2 Eggs
• 1 32 oz. Roll Refrigerated Chocolate Chip Cookies
• 1/3 C. Mini Candy-Coated Baking Bits
• 1/3 C. Raisins
• Dried Cranberries to Taste
• Peanut Butter Chips to Taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine peanut butter, oats, oil and eggs in a large bowl. Next, add cookie dough gradually. Mix well.

Stir in remaining ingredients until well blended.

On an ungreased baking sheet, drop dough approximately 2 inches apart.
Bake for roughly 13-15 minutes. Be sure not to over bake.

#4 Chewy Oatmeal Cookies 

• 1 cup butter or margarine
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3 cups regular or quick-cooking rolled oats
• 1 cup raisins, optional
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts, optional

In a larger bowl beat butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until creamy. Beat in eggs until well blended; then mix in vanilla. Stir together flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. Add to butter mixture; stir well. Stir in oats, raisins, and walnuts.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto greased baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Bake in a 375 degree F oven until cookies are golden but centers are still soft, about 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks to cool. Makes about 4 dozen.

#5 No Flour Peanut Butter Cookies 

• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup sugar + additional for coating
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

While preheating oven to 350 degrees, grease a baking sheet.

In a medium bowl, mix peanut butter and 1 cup sugar until thoroughly combined. In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg and then add to peanut butter mixture. Add the baking soda and mix until thoroughly combined.

Roll the dough into balls and coat in sugar. Drop by spoonfuls onto cookie sheet, about inch-and-half apart. Using a fork, make a criss-cross pattern in the dough.
Bake for about 10 minutes or until light golden brown.

#6 Coconut Cookies 

• 3 cups flour
• 5 cups sugar
• ¼ cup unsalted butter
• 6 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon light rum
• 6 cups shredded coconut

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together with an electric mixer. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 60 minutes.

While preheating oven to 375 degrees, line a baking sheet with wax paper.

Roll the dough into 1 inch balls and place them 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.
Bake until browned around the edges and on the bottom (approximately 10 minutes).

#7 Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 2 sticks butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups self-rising flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium sized bowl, mix together the butter, sugar and vanilla until well blended. In another bowl whisk together the flour and salt. Add to the butter mixture and mix well. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Drop by spoonfuls onto an ungreased baking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes.

#8 Chocolate Chip Cookies In a Jar 

• 1 Mason Jar
• Ribbon
• Decorative Tag
• Colored Cellophane
• TO: Tag
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• Fill to top of jar with semi-sweet chocolate chips

What to type on label:

Chocolate Chip Cookies in a Jar

• 1 cup butter or margarine softened
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Thoroughly blend together the butter, egg, and vanilla. Empty jar of cookie mix into the butter mix. Mix until completely blended. Spray cookie sheet with non-stick spray. Drop teaspoons full of batter about 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Bake for 8-12 minutes, or until lightly browned.

#9 Fudge Brownie Cookies 

• 1 cup soft margarine (2 sticks)
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 medium eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons water, if necessary

Get down your best big mixing bowl. In it combine the margarine and sugar. Mix until the mixture is creamy. Add the eggs and vanilla. Blend again, until the batter is fluffy and soft. Add the cocoa, flour, baking soda and salt. Stir the dough until it is thick and well formed. If the dough is too thick, you may add a spoonful or two of water to soak up the flour. Blend very well after adding the water. Drop the dough by spoonfuls onto a well oiled cookie sheet. Bake at 350° for about 10 minutes. Makes about 3 dozen.

 

#10 Easy Whoopie Pies 

• 1 cake mix (any chocolate cake mix or devil’s food chocolate cake mix)
• 1 (3-ounce) package of instant chocolate pudding
• Whoopie Pie Filling (see recipe below)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or lightly grease the cookie sheets.

In a large bowl, prepare cake mix according to directions on box, but using 3/4 cup of water instead of listed amount. Beat 1 minute.

Add instant chocolate pudding dry mix and beat 1 more minute.

Drop batter by the 1/4 cup (to make 18 cakes) onto prepared baking sheets. With the back of a spoon spread batter into 4-inch circles, leaving approximately 2 inches between each cake.

Bake 15 minutes or until they are firm to the touch. Remove from oven and let cool completely on a wire rack.

Make Whoopie Pie Filling:

Whoopie Pie Filling:

• 1 cup solid vegetable shortening*
• 1 1/2 cups powdered (confectioner’s) sugar
• 2 cups Marshmallow Fluff**
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

* Butter may be substituted for all or part of the vegetable shortening although traditional Whoopie Pies are made with vegetable shortening only

When the cakes are completely cool, spread the flat side (bottom) of one chocolate cake with a generous amount of filling. Top with another cake, pressing down gently to distribute the filling evenly. Repeat with all cookies to make 9 pies. Let finished whoopie pies completely cool before wrapping.

Wrap whoopie pies individually in plastic wrap, or place them in a single layer on a platter (do not stack them, as they tend to stick).

To freeze, wrap each whoopie pie in plastic wrap. Loosely pack them in a plastic freezer container and cover. To serve, defrost the wrapped whoopie pies in the refrigerator.

Makes 9 large whoopie pies.

#11 Cool Whip Cookies 

• 8 oz Cool Whip, thawed
• 2 eggs
• 1 package {18.25 oz} lemon cake mix
• confectionery sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Beat Cool Whip and eggs together. Blend in cake mix. Batter will be thick{ish}. Drop by teaspoons {or use cookie scoop} into confectionery sugar to coat. Place on lightly greased cookie sheet and bake for 8-12 minutes or until lightly brown on bottom. Let cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes before moving to cooling rack.

#12  Apple Spice Cookies

• 1 box of spice cake mix, any brand
• 2 eggs
• ½ C. natural applesauce

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and spray your baking sheets with a non-stick spray.

Combine the cake mix, 2 eggs and applesauce and mix well. Depending on how thick your dough is you may want to add an additional tablespoon of applesauce one at a time.

Drop by rounded tablespoon onto your baking sheets about 2-3” a part.

Bake 9-11 minutes.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 8 oz. brick of cream cheese, softened
• 1 C. whipped topping (such as Cool Whip)
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• ½ C. sugar

In a medium size bowl, blend the softened cream cheese, whipped topping and sugar with a hand mixer. Frosting will be light and airy. Once your muffins have cooled, frost them generously with the cream cheese frosting.

How about some hot chocolate to go with all these yummy cookies? You can use my hot cocoa mix recipe, or set up a hot chocolate bar.