virtual cookie (recipe) swap, anyone?

thiswillbe

I've been scouring the internet for good cookie recipes, but then it occurred to me that it'd be better to just ask YOU!

So, anyone up for a virtual cookie (recipe) swap? If so, post your favorite cookie recipe below.

If you have a favorite recipe that is not cookies, but some other yummy treat (especially if it is portable and/or gift-able, like candy or cupcakes), feel free to post that as well.

ctbride08

i love this idea!

(but i'll have to get back to you tomorrow 'cause i'm heading out to console a sad BFF with a bottle of wine )

thiswillbe

These are my go-to cookies-- easy to make and the perfect comfort-food cookie. Soaking the raisins really does make a difference.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
(adapted from a recipe I found on allrecipes.com)

INGREDIENTS:
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup raisins
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
3 cups rolled oats

DIRECTIONS:
1. Combine eggs, vanilla and raisins in a small bowl; cover and let stand for 1 hour (I pop it in the fridge because I hate to leave raw eggs out of the fridge).
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
3. In a large bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar together.
4. Sift together the flour, cinnamon, and  baking soda (I just put it in a bowl and stir it with a fork); stir into the creamed mixture.
5. Add the raisin mixture and rolled oats; mix well.
6. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto an unprepared cookie sheet (I make small balls of dough for a more uniform batch of cookies).
7. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Made by hand (no mixer), the oats stay whole and the cookie is hearty. Made with a mixer, the oats get crushed a bit and the cookie has a somewhat more even texture.

My most recent batch, which my darling wife couldn't keep her hands off of:

2brides

L makes these and they are to die for!

 
Carrot Cake Cupcakes (based on Southern Living's Best Carrot Cake recipe)

Ingredients

• 2  cups  all-purpose flour
• 2  teaspoons  baking soda
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 2  teaspoons  ground cinnamon
• 3  large eggs
• 2  cups  sugar
• 3/4  cup  vegetable oil
• 3/4  cup  buttermilk
• 2  teaspoons  vanilla extract
• 2  cups  grated carrot
• 1  (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
• 1  (3 1/2-ounce) can flaked coconut
• 1  cup  chopped pecans or walnuts

• Preparation

  Stir together first 4 ingredients.

  Beat eggs and next 4 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add flour mixture, beating at low speed until blended. Fold in carrot and next 3 ingredients. Pour batter into prepared cupcake pan.

  Bake at 350? for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. cool in pans on wire racks 15 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks. Spread with Cream Cheese Frosting .

   

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

• 3/4  cup  butter or margarine, softened
• 1  (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1  (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 3  cups  sifted powdered sugar
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  vanilla extract

Preparation

Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla; beat until smooth.

 

ctbride08

these are my most-requested holiday cookie (SO yum):

Snickers Bar Cookies

• 1 cup butter, softened (2 sticks)
  
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
  
• 1 cup light brown sugar
  
• 1 cup sugar
  
• 2 eggs
  
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
  
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
  
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
• 2 13-ounce package Snickers Miniatures (about 60 candies)

   

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the butter, peanut butter and sugars using a mixer on a medium to low speed until light and fluffy. Slowly add eggs and vanilla until thoroughly combined. Then mix in flour, salt and baking soda. Cover and chill dough for 2 to 3 hours.

Unwrap all Snickers. Remove dough from refrigerator. Shape about 1 tablespoon of dough around each candy. Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Let cookies cool on baking rack. Makes about 4 dozen cookies. Optional: drizzle chocolate over the top for looks

Not my pics, but mine are very similar:

Meegs10.13.06

Ohh, I have two very easy ones that are delicious!

Gooey Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup PB
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg

Mix all ingredients until well combined, then drop onto a sprayed cookie sheet (makes about a bakers dozen of good sized cookies).
Bake at 350 for about 10 - 12 minutes until the outsides are set, but cookies are still soft.
Let cool and you have a delish cookie that stays soft and chewy. So so good!!

 

 

Also, not a cookie... but I love these brownies... which can be cut up and wrapped to give away. 

Peppermint Cloud Brownies

Simply take your favorite brownie mix and put all together, pop in oven to bake.
When the brownies are about 8 minutes from being done, remove from oven and sprinkle generously with mini marshmallows. Put back in oven and bake until brownies are done and marshmallows are gooey.
Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with crushed peppermints. Let cool and enjoy.

 

I just recently made both of these... and they were gone within a few days! 

Meegs10.13.06

ctbride08:

these are my most-requested holiday cookie (SO yum):

Snickers Bar Cookies

 

These sound amazing!! 

ctbride08

you all know that i am having a virtual love affair with this blog, but she just posted these pepermint truffles today and they look so adorable/easy I'm definitley making them this year.....thought i'd share!

http://goodthingscatered.blogspot.com/2008/12/peppermint-truffles.html