Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

This is a kicked up version of my original peanut butter cookies. This is one of my favourite peanut butter cookie recipes because they are crunchy on the outside and super chewy on the inside. On our recent trip back to the coast, we ate some delish mini Reese cups and I thought they would taste really good in a cookie! So here they are...

 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Butter
• 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
• 1/2 cup White Sugar (+ more for rolling)
• 1 Egg
• 1 cup Smooth Peanut Butter
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
• 1 1/2 cups Flour
• Reese minis

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 375F. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugars.
2. Beat in egg, vanilla, and peanut butter.

 

    3.  In a small bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking soda. 

    4.  Roll tablespoon sized balls in sugar. Place on baking sheet and press down slightly to flatten. Push in a Reese mini.

    5. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until slightly golden on the bottom. Let cookies cool on the pan for about 2  minutes before moving to a cooling rack. 

My cookies turned out a bit flatter than they normally do. I think i pushed them down a bit too much.Either way they still taste amazing!! Hope you enjoy!

Chai Sugar Cookies

If you like chai tea you will love these! This is an adaptation of my grandma's sugar cookies. They are crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. I have included a half recipe because it makes so many, but it could easily be doubled.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups Flour
• 1 cup White Sugar
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 cup Butter
• 2 Eggs
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• 1 Tbsp Milk
• 4 Tbsp Chai Powder (The kind that you mix with milk. It can be found at coffee shops and specialty stores.)
• Extra chai powder and sugar for tops of cookies.
  

Steps:

1. In mixer, cream together butter and sugar. The longer you cream these together the smoother your dough will be.
   
2. In a bowl, combine flour, salt, baking power, and chai powder. Set aside.
   
3. To butter mixture, add eggs, vanilla, and milk and beat until mixed.
   
4. Gradually add flour mixture. You may need to use your hands to make sure all the flour is combined.
5. Separate into two, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.
   
6. Once refrigerated, preheat oven to 350° and line cookie sheets with a silicone mat if using.
7. Roll out dough about 1/4 inch thick. Cut into shapes and sprinkle tops with extra granulated sugar and chai powder.
   
8. Bake for 10 mins or until golden brown. (TIP: cookies will hold their shape better if the dough is cold. So before baking, you can return the sheets to the fridge for about 10 mins. Make sure to keep dough you are not using refrigerated until it is ready to go into the oven.)
9. Let cool on pan for a few minutes then transfer to a cooling rack. These cookies taste better when they have completely cooled.

The great thing about these is that you can freeze dough for later if you have extra and keep it on hand. Enjoy and happy baking!

We Go Together...Like PB & J [Cookies!]

While my boyfriend was off at school, I sent him his favourite: peanut butter cookies! This recipe was my Grandma's and is sooo yummy! The outside has a bit of crunch because of the sugar, while the inside is soft and chewy.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Butter
• 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
• 1/2 cup White Sugar
• 1 Egg
• 1 cup Peanut Butter
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
• 1 1/2 cups Flour
• 1 cup Chocolate Chips (optional)

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars. Beat in egg, vanilla, and peanut butter.
   
3. In another smaller bowl, combine salt, baking soda, and flour. Gradually add to butter mixture.
4. If using, add chocolate chips and mix well.
5. Roll dough into 1 inch balls then roll in white sugar (or decorative sugar) and press with a fork.
   
6. Bake for 10-12 mins or until lightly brown. Cool and enjoy!

You can also make a PB & J card if you are sending these to someone special. These cookies mail well too. I wrapped them in an old paper towel tube and foil and they were still moist after 3 days in the mail. Happy baking!

Witches Fingers

Halloween just wouldn't be Halloween without edible oddities! And what is more spooky than eating creepy green witch fingers? Jagged sliced almonds for nails and red decorators gel for gooey nails makes these fingers extra appetizing. It is a simple and delicious recipe!

• 175mL Butter
• 160mL Sugar
• 2 Eggs
• 30mL Milk
• 5mL Almond Extract
• 625mL Flour
• 5mL Baking Powder
• 2mL Salt
  
• Green Food colouring (the gel kind gives a brighter colour)
• Almond slices
• Red decorating Gel

Dough:

1. Cream together butter and sugar in large mixing bowl.
2. Add eggs, milk, almond extract, and food colouring. Beat well until combined.
3. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.
4. Gradually add flour mixture into creamed mixture. Mix until well blended. (Note: The dough will be a bit sticky)
   
5. Divide dough into two balls, wrap, and chill for 2 hours or overnight.
   

Baking:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Roll about a tablespoon (15mL) of dough to form a 'finger'
3. Give finger two squeezes to form knuckles.
4. Using a knife, make small cuts into knuckles to make wrinkles.
5. Place sliced almonds on top of the end to form nails.
   
6. Bake 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned.
7. Remove from cookie sheet and cool for 2-3 minutes. Remove almond nail and squeeze small amount of red decorator gel then replace almond.

[ squeeze to form knuckles, cut in wrinkles, and place almond as the nail]

A great way to serve these cookies is in a martini glass or bowl where the fingers can stick up out of. Enjoy!



*I made these in highschool in my cooking class so I don't have a source to cite them*