082510 Iced Oatmeal Applesauce Cookies

Being off work today, I decided to chip away at the 100 or so recipes. Using my son's remaining applesauce, this particular recipe looked rather interesting....at least the ingredients sounded like a good round-up. The dough was actually very runny, such that I thought I must have read the recipe incorrectly. But, I didn't and proceeded very quickly with the cookie scooper. I used cranberries instead of raisins (it was in the cupboard) which I think go well with any oatmeal type cookie. One can definitely smell the applesauce as the cookies baked!! I think the icing could be omitted (cookies are sweet by themselves), but I wouldn't. They're actually a perfect treat with a cup of coffee!!

082210 Chocolate Charms

Being the chocoholic that he is, my husband picked this recipe. I used a 1" cookie scooper to make the round cookie balls - worked out to be very easy to make. These chocolate shortbread cookies are wonderful with milk and are great with or without the final dusting of cocoa powder. Definitely a keeper and can be made ahead of time!!

082210 Dried Cranberry Shortbread Hearts

This recipe was easy to assemble and doesn't require your electric mixer. However, I ended up using my hands to combine the ingredients because the wooden spoon just wasn't cutting it. I have no idea how one was suppose to remove the 8x8 cookie from the pan after cooling and be expected to cut out hearts with a cookie cutter!?!? As I thought, the cookie fell apart as I attempted to remove it from the pan. Needless to say, my hearts ended up being "bars". But, it's ok because the shortbread cookies are delicious!! The cranberries add just the right amount of tart-sweetness to the buttery dough! Very good tasting!! I would make this again but as a bar cookie.

080810 Lacy Nut Cookies

This was my very first attempt in making lace cookies. I have to say, I think these cookies are a bit on the oily and sweet side...considering the amount powdered sugar (2.25c), corn syrup and butter, it's no surprise. However, several people thoroughly enjoyed these sweet, delicate, potato-chip like cookies! The nuts added a good, solid crunch to the overall texture (I used pecans but any nuts will do). I like my cookies to have a bit more "meat" to them....but, I did enjoy a few! The recipe makes much more than the predicted 2.5 dozen, and they do spread quite a bit - so, respect the 3.5" spacing. I actually took a picture of this cookie with the outdoor lighting in the background to get the full effect of the lacy, thinness. Big, too, huh!!

080110 Banana-Walnut Chocolate-chunk Cookies

These cookies celebrate the successful marriage of chocolate and bananas! The combination should be more prevalent in cookie recipe books. It was easy and the ingredients are cupboard staples for any cookie baker. I couldn't quite discern the influence of the wheat flour?? It may have made the cookies more "cake" like. Regardless, the recipe's a keeper and one that will be executed as frequently as old-fashion oatmeal or chocolate chip cookies!