John's Chocolate Peppermints

John is a friend of Marks. He is home for R & R from Afghanistan.  I sent him these cookies, among others. He talked alot about these cookies. Even though they are a Christmas cookie, I thought I would make them for him.



John's Chocolate Peppermints

8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped peppermint candies
6 tablespoons of sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
Powdered sugar for dusting

Combine the first 3 ingredients in a large saucepan; cook over low heat until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth, stirring almost constantly.  Remove from heat and stir in crushed peppermints and the 6 tablespoons of sugar.  Let cool 30 minutes
Add eggs to melted chocolate mixture, 1 at a time, stirring well.  Stir in extracts.
Combine flour, baking powder and salt.
Add to chocolate mixture, stirring until well combined.  Stir in mini chips.
Cover and chill dough at least 2 hours or until firm enough to shape.

Preheat oven to 325

Drop cookies using the medium cookie scoop onto parchment lined baking sheets.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the cookies are puffed and slightly cracked on top.
When cool dust with powdered sugar. I use a small sieve to make a light dusting.
Makes about 3 dozen

Mango Coconuts

I am not sure what to call this recipe. I adapted it from Roti and Rice.  I think maybe next time I will add a little cardamon and then, at least to me, they will have alot of Indian flavor.

Mango Coconut Gems



1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chopped dried mangos
1/2 cup chopped raw pistachios
1/2 cup shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 350

 Combine flour and baking soda in a bowl and set aside

Cream butter and sugar in the mixer till light and fluffy. Add egg, beat well. Add sour cream and vanilla. mix well.  Add in flour mixture beat till well combined

 Add in mangos, pistachios and coconut.

Drop by medium cookie scoop onto ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten slightly with a spatula dipped in sugar. Sprinkle with big crystal sugar. I used plain color but a colored sugar would be pretty too Bake for about 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies

S'mores Cookie Bars!

This is the bonus cookie! It is campout time, so s'mores bars are perfect!

I made two pans, they go fast!  The recipe is for one 13x9 pan.

S'mores Bars

1/3 cup butter, room temperature

1/3 cup shortening (crisco)

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

1 large egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

2/3 cup flour

1/4 (scant) teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons heavy cream

9 ounces Hershey's chocolate, cut into bits

1 cup or more mini marshmallows

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 13x9 pan

Combine butter, shortening, brown sugar, egg and vanilla in a mixer bowl and beat on medium till well blended

Combine graham cracker crumbs, flour and salt. Slowly add to butter mixture. Mix on low until well blended. Spread dough into prepared pan. (you can dampen your hands to make it easier to press, or use flour coated hands

Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes or until edges are brown and set. The middle might be a little soft. Cool completely

Place cream in a heavy sauce pan and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat, Add chocolate pieces. Stir until smooth and melted.

I had lots of left over chocolates I used. Just so it works out to 9 ounces



Spread evenly over cooled cookie crust

Spread mini marshmallows over the top. Put under broiled just until marshmallows are browned.  Let cool, and put in the refrigerator to set up for at least two hours before cutting into bars





Rhubarb Cookies

Found this recipe on the net, and tweeked it a bit. The original recipe called for a cream cheese frosting, they were good enough without the frosting. A cookie with little tart bits! I liked them. Lon helped me harvest the rhubarb but he did not want to try it, yet.

Rhubarb Cookies

Makes 3 dozen when using medium cookie scoop

1 cup shortening

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar

2 large eggs

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups diced fresh rhubarb

Fresh from my garden!

Nicely Diced

Preheat oven to 350

Mix shortening and brown sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time

In a separate bowl combine flour, baking soda and salt.  Add this to the sugar mixture, gradually or the flour will go all over.  Stir in rhubarb

Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet.  I used the medium cookie scoop.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. The big cookie sheet took 15 minutes, the smaller sheets took 12.







We are on vacation this week!

For any one out there who reads this blog, we are taking a little vacation this week. I will do a double post next week!
Thank you for looking!

Root Beer Float Cookies

Summer is here, it is official even if it does not feel like it here in the great Northwest!  My mother's favorite summer drink is a rootbeer float.  The drink translates well into cookie form

Root Beer Float Cookies
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 large egg
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon rootbeer extract/concentrate
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350.                                          Beat sugar and butter until fluffy. Add the egg. Beat well. Mix in the buttermilk and root beer extract. Combine flour, baking soda and salt. Slowly add the dry ingredients  and mix well.  It says to cover and refrigerate for an hour. (sometimes I skip this and it seems to make no difference)

Use a medium cookie scoop and place cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.

Frost with vanilla ice cream frosting!

Vanilla Ice Cream Frosting

6 tablespoons butter, softened

4 1/2 cups powdered sugar

dash of salt

6 tablespoons melted vanilla ice cream

a little milk if needed

Combine butter and sugar, add the salt. Add the melted ice cream a little at a time until you get the consistency you want. Add a little milk to thin if needed.

The other option is to just mix the melted ice cream and sugar and use as a glaze. Which is what is pictured below!



Dreaming of the Beach

I need warmer weather. I am tired of the rain. I am tired of being cold.  I need to go to the beach and hunt for Sand Dollars.
These are the next best thing!

Sand Dollar Cookies



2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
Sliced almonds
Cinnamon sugar * I used Penzey's cake spice to make Spiced sugar.  about 2 teaspoons to a cup of sugar. You want it rather dark.

Preheat oven to 350

Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  Set aside

In the mixer, cream together the butter and sugar.  When light and fluffy, add the egg and extracts. Mix well

Gradually add in the flour mixture.

Using a medium cookie scoop, scoop out balls of dough. Dip the tops into the cinnamon sugar. Flatten them a bit with a glass. I had to find one without a pattern on the bottom! Then using five of the almond slivers make a pattern that looks like the indentations on a sand dollar.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes. My oven with the big cookie sheets took 14 or until lightly browned.

Let stand on cookie sheet two minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely

The cookies do spread out a bit.