BEST BLOND BROWNIES – uses cake mix
(by Cherie Kropp Rev 10/2011) I’ve made this a gazillion times.
Yellow Cake Mix – the BEST by far is Duncan Hines Butter Golden Cake Mix – I only use this one. Have tried others.
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup oil (or melted butter)
½ cup water
2 eggs
¼ to ½ cup chopped pecans (optional)
12 oz. pkg. chocolate chips (your choice: milk OR semi-sweet)
Preheat oven to 350°. Place the oven rack in the center of oven.
Grease 9” x 13” baking pan.
Mix first 5 ingredients in mixer: cake mix, sugar, oil, water, eggs.
Mix for 1 min.; scrape bowl down with spatula and mix for 1 min.
Pour in chips and nuts. Turn on mixer for 30 seconds.
Pour batter in prepared baking pan.
If batter is thick, smooth out with rubber spatula dipped in warm water.
Bake for 25 or 30 minutes, til center doesnt jiggle.
Cool on wire rack.
Christmas Blondies: Add: 1 cup coarsely chopped candied cherries or dried cherries–tried w/dried cherries-12/2013.
ORIGINAL BLOND BROWNIES
(Doesn’t use cake mix)
1 c margarine, softened (2 sticks)
2-1/2 c brown sugar (l lb)
3 eggs
2-1/2 c flour
1-1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
2 t vanilla
12 oz milk chocolate chips (Ghiridelli are delish!)
1/2 c chopped pecans-optional (or more if desired)
Preheat Oven to 400°. Grease 9 x 13” pan with butter wrappers.
Mix sugar, oleo and vanilla. Beat well.
Add eggs. Do not mix very much after adding eggs.
Mix baking powder, salt and flour in separate bowl.
Add to sugar/egg mixture. Mix JUST til blended. Do not over mix!!
Add chocolate chips and nuts. Spread in prepared pan.
Bake at 400° for 10 min.; turn down to 325°, and bake 15 min. more.
Or bake at 350° for 25-30 min. DO NOT OVER BAKE!!
LEMON TASSIE BARS Kelly & Chess LOVE
Crust:
2 c flour
1 c oleo
1/2 c powdered sugar
pinch salt
Filling:
Grated rind of (1) FRESH lemon (called lemon “zest”)
1/3 c lemon juice (squeezed from FRESH lemon-remove seeds)
4 eggs
2 c granulated sugar
1/4 c flour
1 t baking powder
Preheat oven to 350°. Put rack in center slot in oven.
Mix flour, oleo, powdered sugar, salt JUST TIL CRUMBLY powder.
Pack smoothly to form crust in 9 x 13 GREASED pan.
Bake 20 min.
With mixer, beat granulated sugar, flour, baking powder, eggs, lemon juice and lemon rind. Mix WELL.
Remove crust from oven and immediately spread lemon mixture over crust.
Return to oven and bake 20 min. more til barely starts turning brown and middle doesn’t shake.
Dust with powdered sugar while warm. Cut when cool.
NOTE: These bars seem to taste the best when cooked in a clear glass dish.
CRANBERRY BLISS BARS
Cherie’s Creation – copykatting Starbucks, 2013
Yellow Cake Mix – the BEST by far is Duncan Hines Butter Golden Cake Mix. Is the only one I will use.
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup oil (or melted butter)
½ cup water
2 eggs
6 oz. pkg. white chocolate chips
¾ c sweetened dried cranberries (Craisins work perfect!)
¼ to ½ cup chopped pecans or macadamia nuts (optional)
Preheat oven to 350°. Place the oven rack in the center of oven. Grease 9” x 13” baking pan.
Dump in mixer bowl first 5 ingredients: cake mix, sugar, oil, water, eggs.
Mix for 1 minute; scrape bowl down with spatula and mix for 1 minute.
Pour in chips and nuts. Turn on mixer for 30 seconds.
Pour batter in prepared baking pan.
If batter is thick, smooth out with rubber spatula dipped in warm water.
Bake for 25 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Frost.
FROSTING:
4 oz cream cheese (4 ounces)
2 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar – SIFT so no lumps!
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 t lemon juice-or more-optional
1/3 c sweetened dried cranberries, chopped
In mixing bowl, beat everything except cranberries together til smooth.
Spread the frosting on top of the cooled cake.
Sprinkle the 1/3 cup dried cranberries on top of the frosting—can make a design, like a heart.
WHITE CHOCOLATE MACADAMIA COOKIES
(Southern Living)
½ c margarine, softened
½ c shortening
¾ c white sugar
½ c brown sugar
1 egg
1-3/4 c all purpose flour
1 t baking soda
½ t salt
2 t vanilla
10 oz white chocolate chips
½ c coarsely chopped macadamia nuts, lightly toasted
Preheat oven to 350°.
Cream butter & shortening. Gradually add sugar & egg. Mix well.
In separate bowl, combine flour, soda, salt. Add to 1st mixture.
Stir in vanilla, chocolate and nuts.
Cover and chill dough for 1 hour.
Drop by 2 Tablespoons, on lightly greased cookie sheets, 3” apart.
Bake at 350° for 12-14 minutes.
Cool slightly and remove from pan.
SUGAR ‘N SPICE MOLASSES COOKIES (Dot Berry)
Makes 3-1/2 doz.
1 c sugar (white or brown)
3/4 c shortening (some recipes say to melt shortening; or ¾ c oil.)
1/4 c molasses
1 egg
2 c flour
1 t ground cloves
1 t cinnamon
2 t ginger
1/4 t salt
2 t soda
Preheat oven to 375°.
Beat sugar and shortening in mixing bowl at medium speed.
Add egg, beat well.
Add molasses.
Mix spices and flour and add.
Cover and chill dough in refrigerator. Shape into 1″ balls.
Bake on ungreased baking sheets 8-10 min at 375; or at 400° for 8 min. Let cool slightly. Roll in powdered sugar or frost.
SNICKERDOODLES (7/2014 tried at 350° for 11 min)
½ c shortening and ½ c oleo (or just 1 cup shortening)
1-1/2 c sugar
2 eggs
1 t soda
½ t salt
2 t cream of tartar
2-3/4 c flour (plain—not self-rising)
Preheat oven to 350°.
(NOTE: Joan Norris bakes at 400° for 8 min)
Mix oleo, shortening, sugar well. Add eggs.
Mix together flour, cream of tartar, soda. Add to 1st mixture.
Chill dough. Shape in rounded balls, walnut size.
Tip: use ice cream scoop
Mix 2 T sugar and 2 t cinnamon. Roll balls in mixture.
Place balls on ungreased baking sheet. Place single pan in oven.
Cookies will puff up and then flatten—Check on them in EXACTLY 11 min.
As soon as cookies flatten, remove from oven.
Remove from cookie sheet in 10 minutes–or will stick to pan and tear up.
Tastes the very best when baked just til soft inside.
DIVINITY COOKIES or SPANISH PECAN COOKIES (Gloriz Pitzer)
I used to buy these from Neiman Marcus Bakery when I worked in downtown Dallas. I couldn’t find a recipe for them, so I sent some cookies to Gloria Pitzer, “The Recipe Detective,” who could copy most any recipe. She was intrigued that I went to that much trouble, and she obligingly came up with this recipe, for which I will be forever greatful!
½ c margarine
½ c oil
2-1/2 c powdered sugar (do not sift)
1 t vanilla
½ t salt
2 t cornstarch
¼ t soda
2 c flour
½ finely chopped pecans OR mini chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 325°.
Cream margarine and oil 5 minutes on medium speed.
Mix in sugar, vanilla, salt, cornstarch and soda.
Then add flour and pecans.
Roll in 1” balls and bake at 325° for 15 min.—NO LONGER!
Coat with powdered sugar when slightly cool.
ALMOND BARK (WHITE CHOCOLATE)
Soften Almond Bark according to package directions
(For Holidays can add 1/2 t red food coloring to white coating)
WHITE RITZ OR PRETZELS OR OREO COOKIES:
Dip in melted White Almond Bark. Let harden on wax paper.
Can use toothpicks to dip with.
PEPPERMINT ALMOND BARK:
Melt 20 oz package WHITE almond Bark per directions.
Add 1-1/2 c crushed peppermint candy or candy canes.
Pour on aluminum foil or wax paper. Spread to about 1/4″ thick. Place in refrigerator to cool and set up.
Break into pieces for serving.
ALMOND-ALMOND BARK – Same as peppermint, except add 1-1/2 cups almonds, roasted or plain in place of peppermint.
SAND TARTS – RUSSIAN TEACAKES – MEXICAN WEDDING COOKIES – Makes about 4 dozen
1 c butter or oleo, softened
1/2 c powdered sugar
1 t vanilla
2-1/4 c flour
1/4 t salt
3/4 c finely chopped pecans
Heat oven to 400°.
Mix thoroughly butter, sugar and vanilla.
Work in flour, salt and nuts til dough holds together.
Shape dough into 1-inch balls; OR roll into a 2-1/2″ long roll and shape into a crescent.
Place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 10-12 min. or til set, but not brown. While warm, roll in powdered sugar. Cool. Roll in sugar again.
PECAN SANDIE COOKIES Krista’s Favorite!
(Rev 8/13) (Mom’s Butter Pecan Cookies)
1 Yellow Cake Mix (pudding in mix OK but do NOT use a Butter Cake Mix)
1/2 SMALL pkg. vanilla instant pudding mix-I used whole pkg once & it worked
1 cup oil
1 egg
3/4 cup finely chopped pecans (6 oz.) OR mini chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 325° or 350°.
Place all ingredients in mixing bowl and mix.
Roll into balls–walnut size. Or use SMALL ice cream scoop.
Place balls/dips on baking sheet with at least 1-1/2” space between cookies. SpringAire pans work great.
Bake til cookies are light brown. (10 min.)
Remove from baking sheet after 5 min. cool down time.
OPTIONAL: When slightly cool roll in confectioners sugar
(or leave plain. ) Do NOT add 1 c peanut butter!
EASY! CHOCOLATE CHIP SANDIE COOKIE (Mom 9-07)
1 Betty Crocker Super Moist Butter Pecan Cake Mix
½ pkg. vanilla instant pudding mix
1 cup oil
1 egg
1 cup milk chocolate chips (NO nuts!)
Place all ingredients in mixing bowl and mix.
Roll into balls–walnut size. Or use SMALL ice cream scoop.
Place balls/dips on baking sheet with at least 1-1/2” space between cookies. SpringAire pans work well.
Bake at 325° or 350° until cookies are light brown. (10-12 min.)
Remove from baking sheet after 5 min. cool down time.
OPTIONAL: When slightly cool roll in confectioners sugar
(or leave plain. )
COOL WHIP COOKIES – FANTASTIC WITH CHERRY!
Makes about 3 dozen.
1 pkg cake mix (lemon, banana, cherry-any flavor)
1 well beaten egg
8 oz. Cool Whip (small carton)
powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 350°.
Mix all ingredients except sugar in mixer.
Drop a tablespoon of batter into sifted powdered sugar, coating it lightly.
Place 2″ apart on PAM sprayed cookie sheets (even if teflon)
Bake at 350° for 15 min, or til tops appear cracked, and cookies start to get a little gold around bottoms.
ALWAYS SOFT CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES – April Cochran
Makes 6 dz.
4-1/2 c flour
2 t soda
2 c butter, softened
1-1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c white sugar
2 small pkg instant vanilla pudding mix or any flavor
4 eggs
2 t vanilla
4 c semisweet chocolate chips
2 c chopped nuts-optional
Preheat oven to 350°. Sift together flour & soda.
Cream butter and sugars. Add pudding mix.
Stir in eggs and vanilla. Blend in flour mixture.
Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.
Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets.
Bake 10-12 min. Edges should be golden brown.
CHOCOLATE CHIP TOLL HOUSE COOKIES (or M & M Cookies) NOTE: ALREADY DOUBLED!!
4-1/2 c flour (or 4 c)
2 t soda
1 t salt
2 cups butter, oleo or shortening
1-1/2 c white sugar (or 1 cup)
1-1/2 c brown sugar (or 2 cups)
2 tsp. vanilla (or 2T)
1 tsp. water (or 2T)
4 eggs
12 oz chocolate chips (or 24 oz) or 3 cups M & Ms
2 cups nuts chopped-optional
Preheat oven to 350°.
Cream shortening sugars, vanilla, water well. Add eggs.
Mix together flour, soda and salt and add.
Gently stir in chocolate chips or M&Ms. Chill.
Drop on cookie sheet. Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes.